The EU Commission has been looking at ways to make thestringent approval procedures for medicines - both human and animal - work moreefficiently. Animal medicine manufacturers have been working with the Commission, the veterinary profession and both farm and animal health organisations, with the aim of using this opportunity to improve the availability of medicines to keep farm animals and pets healthy.
Much has already been achieved, but at the eleventh hour,and without consultation, the Commission has introduced a new clause to forceevery medicine for food-producing animals to be classified as aPrescription-Only Medicine (POM), available only on veterinaryprescription. This would destroy the long established and highly effective UK system, under which farmers and horse owners are able to purchase certain routine medicines from their local trained and qualified merchant or saddler.
The final proposals from the Commission have now been sentto the European Parliament and Council of Ministers. These proposals will be debated in parallel (under the Co-Decision Procedure) by these two bodies.
Briefing Documents
Press releases
Focusing on the future for farm animal medicines - Commission proposals for legislative change now published (5 December 2001)
Animals would suffer under new EC regulations, warns NOAH (5 October 2001)
Further information
The EU Commissions proposals in full
The Current law - Directive 2001/82/ECand Regulation 2309/93
The Government view - Lord Whittys statement to the House of Lords (1 November 2001)
FEDESA response to draft Commission proposals (18 July 2001)
Independent Review of Dispensing (Marsh Report)