Chair of the Veterinary Ireland Medicines Working Group, Conor Geraghty has called for further clarity on the national veterinary prescription system (NVPS).
Geraghty made the calls at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference of Veterinary Ireland today (Friday, November 24).
The NVPS is provided for under the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertiliser Regulation Act introduced in July of this year.
Geraghty said that Veterinary Ireland has engaged with the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) on this legislation since 2016 but has not yet seen the proposed Statutory Instrument.
“The NVPS as proposed will involve significant administrative, time and financial burdens for veterinary practices, which creates a further obstacle to those farm animal, equine and mixed veterinary practices trying to attract and retain veterinary professionals,” Geraghty said.
He added that before vets take on the new system, Veterinary Ireland needs clarity on what new operations will be required, what supports and what legislative changes will be envisaged to make this happen.
He said clarity was also needed around the “mixed messaging” related to the ability of vets to prescribe to animals under their care using other proper assessment; and what farmers are being told on the availability of veterinary medicinal products.
“These concerns need to be addressed to ensure that the veterinary profession is able to survive these legislative changes and continue to provide a proper veterinary service to clients and animals in the way Irish society has enjoyed heretofore,” Geraghty said.
Veterinary Ireland AGM
Senior Superintending Veterinary Inspector, Head of Division for Veterinary Medicines, Antimicrobial resistance, Animal By Products and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, at DAFM, Caroline Garvan also spoke at the event in the Park Hotel in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
Garvan said that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a One Health global societal challenge.
She said that not only is AMR a public health issue, but also impacts food safety and food security.
“The reduction in the sale of antimicrobials for use in the agrifood sector indicates the leadership and engagement by veterinary practitioners and all stakeholders to address the AMR challenge,” Garvan said.
Garvan also told delegates that antiparasitic resistance is a growing challenge for animal health, which impacts farm productivity and profitability as well as food security.
She said that veterinary practitioners play a key role in developing on farm parasite control plans in order to ensure targeted and selective use of antiparasitics in combination with increased use of diagnostics, optimal biosecurity, and farm management practices.
Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Peter Burke acknowledged that the veterinary profession faces many challenges, and paid tribute to the ongoing commitment shown in the profession.
“This leadership has resulted in annual reductions in overall sales of antibiotics well beyond that national target of 5% per annum.
“In addition, I welcome the recent publication of the HPRA Report on Sales of Veterinary Antibiotics in 2022 which shows a very positive 26% reduction in sales of antibiotics compared to 2020 levels,” Minister Burke said.