2024-03-07 15:58:14
The Veterinary Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2024 have been laid before Parliament. There is no date yet when the amendments will take effect. They will make extensive amendments to the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013.
The Amendment Regulations are too extensive to describe in detail here. The Regulations can be found at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2024/9780348258523/contents and the Explanatory Memorandum can be found at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2024/9780348258523/pdfs/ukdsiem_9780348258523_en_001.pdf
Amongst other things (including provisions intended to reduce the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance):
- The Secretary of State will have power to require marketing authorisation holders, manufacturers, wholesale dealers and vets to provide information on the sales and usage of antibiotics.
- Advertising rules will make it clear that medicines can only be advertised if there is a marketing authorisation or if one is not required one (if the medicines are subject to the exemption for small pet animals).
- The packaging and labelling requirements will be amended.
- The requirements for registration of homeopathic remedies will be clarified.
- The scope of medicines that can only be prescribed and/or supplied by vets will be clarified.
- Online retailers of veterinary medicines will have to register with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
- Prescribers (including vets and pharmacists) will have to record their rationale for issuing a prescription, including a verbal prescription.
- The prescribing of antibiotics will be restricted to situations where the antibiotic is not used routinely and not used to compensate for poor hygiene, inadequate husbandry, or poor farm practises, and not used to promote growth or increase yield.
- The prescription of antibiotics for prophylactic purposes will be prohibited.
- The cascade will be clarified to indicate when an unauthorised medicine can be used if an authorised one is not available.