The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine “must provide a timely response to the recommendations contained in the Joint Oireachtas Committee’s report on proposed veterinary medicines regulations”, according to independent TD, Carol Nolan.
From the end of January 2022, new EU veterinary regulations will apply to animal medicines – including commonly used anti-parasitics – that will result in certain products requiring a prescription before they can be purchased by farmers.
The committee’s recently published report came on the back of a number of meetings with key stakeholders including veterinary practitioners, veterinary pharmacists, licensed merchants, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the Health Products Regulatory Authority, among others.
Veterinary medicines – response needed
Now, the independent TD for Laois-Offaly has called on the agriculture minister to respond to this report and the recommendations contained within.
Deputy Nolan was speaking after she engaged with the Independent Licensed Merchants Association (ILMA), one of the stakeholder groups involved in the work of the Committee.
There still remains uncertainty about the role of licensed merchants once the new EU rules are in place and whether they will be able to continue to dispense certain prescription-only medicines.
The report favours licensed merchants as a recognised route of supply of veterinary medicines after new regulations are in place.
According to Deputy Nolan, the ILMA has welcomed the report, describing the recommendations as providing “an irresistible opportunity for the department to accept and facilitate a move to shared prescribing.”
Recommendations
The first report recommendation is directed at the DAFM, and calls on it to ensure the continuation of the existing network – including licensed merchants and veterinary pharmacists – as a recognised route of supply of anti-parasitic medicines.
Also contained in the report is the recognition of the importance of licensed merchants and veterinary pharmacists in providing rural communities and the farming sector with a high-standard of service – particularly by ensuring competition for veterinary medicines – and a source of employment.
According to Deputy Nolan the ILMA is “cautiously optimistic that the agriculture minister will accept the recommendations in light of the fact that his department has already acknowledged the expertise of the trained and qualified ‘responsible person’ with the FETAC level 6 examination”.
Deputy Nolan said:
“The ILMA has been persuasive and articulate defenders of its sector and workers and is to be applauded for resisting any attempt to downgrade their expertise or community role.
“Minister McConalogue must now move quickly to provide an assurance to the licensed merchants that he will take on board the recommendations of the Committee, especially the recommendation that the Department ensures the continuation of the existing network, which includes licensed merchants and veterinary pharmacists, as a recognised route of supply of antiparasitic medicines.
“It is also vitally important that we have full disclosure of the Attorney General’s response to the legal brief submitted by the ILMA.
“This will be crucial in terms of stakeholders’ ability to address and understand any changes that the Minister may make to the regulatory and legal environment in the future,” said Deputy Nolan.