Representing the Manufacturers of Animal Medicines

National Office of Animal Health Ltd

3 Crossfield Chambers, Gladbeck Way, Enfield, Middlesex EN27HF

Tel: (+44) 020 83673131 Facsimile: (+44) 020 8363 1155

e-mail: a.glennon@noah.co.uk

 

Press Release

18thApril 2002

 

 

Animal medicines part of a sustainable future

 

Last year's Chairman, John McNally,commented in NOAHs annual report that: "Times are changing". TheCurry Report, European Regulatory Review 2001, the Marsh recommendations andthe Competition Commission will all have an impact on the members of NOAH. NOAHtherefore needs to keep abreast of these issues, move with the times, and usethe opportunity to work alongside other organisations to ensure that change isfor the better for everyone involved in animal medicines, be it for food chainproduction or companion animal medicines

 

Speaking at the Annual Dinner ofthe National Office of Animal Health, held in London on 18th April,NOAH Chief Executive Philip Sketchley said that Sir Don Curry's PolicyCommission's recommendation that research should be directed to low or no-drugfarming systems was worrying, as this could be taken to mean there was no placefor animal medicines in sustainable farming.

 

"We certainly hope that wasntwhat was meant. NOAHs 'strapline' for many years has been 'Animals needmedicines too', because medicines are part of the solution to provide safe andhealthy food, in sustainable systems," said Mr Sketchley. He added:"Naturally, we support initiatives to reduce the need to use medicines.Our work with RUMA, the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance,is an example of that. However, prevention - through good stockmanship andthrough vaccination and worming - is better than cure, but equally there are timeswhen cures are vital for animal welfare. Increasingly we hear reports ofanimals that are farmed organically suffering because a particular medicinecould not be used, or because the right therapeutic treatment was withhelduntil all else had failed," he added. "NOAH will be responding to theDEFRA 'Sustainable Food and Farming - Working Together' document. In the spiritof the title, we hope to be working together with many of the organisationsrepresented here to highlight the benefits our members' products can bring toDEFRA's vision."

 

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With the review of the Europeanregulations governing animal medicines continuing, Mr Sketchley welcomed thewillingness of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to maintain dialogue withNOAH and other groups on the changes proposed, in particular DEFRAs supportfor flexibility that would enable the distribution of PML licensed animalmedicines thorough registered distributors to continue.

 

"It is not only NOAH that hasseen changes recently. For example, Mike Rutter has recently retired from theVMD," said Mr Sketchley. "We would like to take this opportunity, onbehalf of the industry, to thank Mike for all his work over the years and wishhim all the best in his retirement. We also look forward to working with SteveDean and the VMD team in the future. We might not agree on everything, but webelieve that openness of discussion is the best way forward, and will belooking for dialogue to continue."

 

Discussing the CompetitionCommission, whose enquiry into veterinary prices is ongoing, Mr Shetchley said:"NOAH was invited to a meeting with the Competition Commission in Februaryand will be attending the next meeting, along with others, next week. This isall part of the normal enquiry process and we are happy to help providebackground, on behalf of our members, to the regulatory environment in whichthe animal medicines are licensed. Thefull report from the Competition Commission is not due until next year and wewait with interest to see how their recommendations relate to the earlierreport from Sir John Marsh and his team.

 

The next 12 months will bringchallenges and, we hope, opportunities. We remain convinced that if NOAH, ourmembers, the regulators and users of medicines work closely together we willachieve improvements in medicines availability, continued effectivedistribution with sufficient profit incentive to encourage further research andnew medicines to meet the future needs of the veterinary profession, merchants,farmers and the pet owning public.

 

Ends

 

Notes for Editors

1.       For further information contact Philip Sketchley or Alison Glennon on020 8367 3131, or e-mail noah@noah.co.ukor visit the NOAH website www.noah.co.uk

2.      TheNational Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent theUK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animalhealth products. The association has 37 corporate members and 12 associatemembers. In 2001 NOAH's members accounted for around 95% of the 359 million UKanimal health market, with additional valuable exports.

3.      DEFRA'spublication 'Sustainable Food and Farming Working Together is available fromSustainable Agriculture Strategy Division, DEFRA, Room 308, Whitehall Place(East Block), London SW1A 2HH or on the web (along with the Policy CommissionReport) on the DEFRA website athttp://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/default.htm