Veterinary Medicine Regulations

Veterinary Medicines Regulations

Legal Categories

AVM-GSL - Authorised Veterinary Medicine - General Sales List

• Formerly GSL
• These products can be sold by anyone and there are no restrictions.
• No prescription is required
• Pet prescription does not require any specific information regarding the patient

NFA-VPS - Non-food animal Medicine - veterinarian, pharmacist, SQP

• Formerly PML companion animal products and a few P products
• A medicine for companion animals (including horses not intended for human consumption) which must be supplied by a veterinarian, pharmacist, or SQP
• They can be supplied without a prescription
• The supplier must advise on safe administration, must advise on warnings or contra-indications on the label or package leaflet, and must be satisfied that the person who will use the product is competent to use it safely and intends to use it for a use for which it is authorised.
• To comply with the regulations stated above Pet prescriptions requires certain information about the animal for which the medicine is intended (as for POM-V products), primarily to ensure it is used safely and appropriately.

POM-VPS - Prescription-only medicine - veterinarian, pharmacist, SQP (Suitably Qualified Person)

• Formerly PML livestock products, MFSX products and a few P products
• A medicine for food producing animals which must be prescribed by a veterinarian, pharmacist, or SQP (either orally or in writing) and which must be supplied by one of those groups of people in accordance with the prescription (only the product(s) specified in the prescription can be supplied and not an alternative)
• A clinical assessment of the animal(s) is not required when prescribing this category of veterinary medicine.
• The supplier must advise on safe administration, must advise on warnings or contra-indications on the label or package leaflet, and must be satisfied that the person who will use the product is competent to use it safely and intends to use it for a use for which it is authorised.
• To comply with the regulations stated above Pet prescriptions requires certain information about the animal for which the medicine is intended (as for POM-V products), primarily to ensure it is used safely and appropriately.

POM-V - Prescription only medicine - veterinarian

• Formerly POM products and a few P products
• A medicine which must be prescribed (either orally or in writing) by a veterinarian to animal(s) under his care following clinical assessment, and which may be supplied by a veterinarian or pharmacist in accordance with the prescription (only the product(s) specified in the prescription can be supplied and not an alternative).
• The supplier must advise on safe administration, must advise on warnings or contra-indications on the label or package leaflet, and must be satisfied that the person who will use the product is competent to use it safely and intends to use it for a use for which it is authorised.
• To comply with the regulations stated above Pet prescriptions requires certain information about the animal for which the medicine is intended (as for POM-V products), primarily to ensure it is used safely and appropriately.

CD - Controlled Drug

A substance controlled by the Misuse of Drugs act 1971
There are additional requirements relating to the prescribing of controlled drugs.

Prescribing and Dispensing - Roles and Responsibilities

There is no requirement for a prescription to be physically written for either a POM-V or POM-VPS product if the person supplying is the same as the person prescribing. A client may request a written prescription, and have their animals' medicine supplied elsewhere. Vets may supply a product under a prescription (for a POM-V) written by another vet, or (for a POM-VPS) written by another vet, pharmacist, or SQP. In all cases, the person prescribing the product has the responsibility for the treatment and must advise accordingly.

A person who prescribes any product must provide advice relating to any warnings or contra indications relevant to the medicine, and must be satisfied that the person is competent and will use it as authorised.

Supply of Animal Medicines

Internet and Postal supply is permitted providing the supplier applies statutory controls

• A vet, pharmacist, or SQP prescribes and supplies the product ( except AVM-GSL), the vet, pharmacist or SQP dispensing does not necessarily need to be the same person prescribing
• Supplied under prescription where necessary ( POM-V, POM-VPS)
• Provides advice on safe administration, warnings and Contraindications, and is satisfied the person receiving the medicine is competent to use the product safely and intends to use it for a use for which it is authorised ( POM-V, POM-VPS, NFA-VPS).

Product Information

For details of all veterinary medicinal products currently authorised in the UK together with a list of suspended and recently expired products you can view the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's (VMD) Product Information database (PID). Homeopathic products and Specified Feed Additives are also listed. You can use the A-Z listings to find a particular product and view the associated documents. You can also conduct a search against a number of parameters to find a product or group of products.

Adverse Reactions

The VMD also run the adverse reaction reporting scheme which is used to collect information from veterinary professionals and the general public on suspected adverse reactions to veterinary medicines. They collect reports on both licensed and unlicensed veterinary medicines, and human medicines used to treat animals. The information that is provided can help to improve the safe and effective use of veterinary medicines. If you would like to report an adverse reaction visit the VMD website to complete the relevant form.

Complaints

If you would like to make a complaint to the VMD about anything relating to the supply of animal medicines please see the contact details on their website.

Vet/SQP Registration

SQP = Suitably Qualified Person - is a person who holds an AMTRA certificate (Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority)

To check the registration details of a vet, visit the RCVS website where you can make a search by name, location and/or reference number.

To check the registration details of an SQP (Suitably Qualified Person), visit the VMD website  where you can view the full list of currently registered SQPs.

Useful Links
www.opsi.gov.uk

• www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20052745.htm
  • The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2011

www.dti.gov.uk
www.rcvs.org.uk