In September 2024, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) signed into law the Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulation for vet medicines.

This regulation provides for the upregulation of all anti-parasitics to prescription-only medicine (POM) status. This means that anti-parasitics (such as fluke/worm products) will now only be available on foot of a veterinary prescription issued by a vet.

According to Teagasc, the regulations aim to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by promoting careful use of antimicrobials, and provide for the introduction of a mandatory electronic National Veterinary Prescription System (NVPS).

It is intended that the use of the NVPS will be mandatory from mid-January 2025 – this means that from this date, all veterinary medicinal products (with the exception of anti-parasitics) will be required to be prescribed and dispensed using the NVPS.

From June 2025 anti-parasitics will then have to be prescribed and dispensed using the NVPS.

Soils and environment advisor with Teagasc, Joanne Masterson explained that these regulations are part of the EU’s efforts to reduce the overall sales of antimicrobials for farmed animal’s and in aquaculture by 50% by 2030.

She said the regulations aim to protect animal health and welfare, and public health by addressing antimicrobial and anti-parasitic resistance and promoting careful use of veterinary medicinal products.

The regulations also emphasise the importance of better animal welfare, which can improve animal health and food quality, and reduce the need for medication.

Anti-parasitics

Until now, Ireland availed of a derogation to allow the vast majority of anti-parasitics to be supplied over the counter without a prescription.

The up-regulation of anti-parasitics to prescription-only for food-producing animals is a result of a decision in 2019 by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) that Ireland no longer met the criteria to avail of the derogation based on a growing problem with anti-parasitic resistance and the risk of environmental contamination.

This change brings Ireland into line with the rest of the EU in relation to the supply of anti-parasitic medicines for food-producing animals.

How will vet medicines rules impact farmers?

Masterson explained that from mid-January, farmers will receive electronic prescriptions from their vet in place of paper prescriptions.

The introduction of the NVPS will offer greater choice to the farmer as to where they purchase their vet medicines, as the prescription is issued via email and text message to the farmer.

Farmers will be able to access vet medicines through the same supply channels as before now. When the requirement for a prescription for anti-parasitics is introduced in June 2025, the proper assessment protocol will facilitate access to anti-parasitics through licensed retailers and co-ops.

The requirement for a prescription for anti-parasitics will ensure careful prescribing and use, which in turn will help to improve animal health and efficiencies at farm level, she outlined.

How will it impact vets?

From mid-January 2025, all veterinary practitioners will be required to use the NVPS when issuing a prescription.

From June 2025, all anti-parasitics will require a veterinary prescription. When prescribing anti-parasitics, a veterinary practitioner is required to complete a proper assessment protocol if he or she is not providing ongoing veterinary services to the farmer, including clinical contact with the animals.

From mid-January 2025, retailers and pharmacists will be required to use the NVPS when dispensing prescription-only medicines and from June 2025, they will require a veterinary prescription in order to supply anti-parasitics.

Vet medicines – antimicrobials

AMR is the ability of bacteria to resist the effects of an antibiotic or other antimicrobial to treat disease and is one of the leading health concerns in human and veterinary medicine worldwide.

30% of antibiotics are consumed by humans and 70% are consumed by animals. The first step farmers can take to prevent the development of AMR is to improve the overall health status of the animals on the farm, according to Teagasc.

This will not only reduce antibiotic use on farm but it will also maximise farm productivity. This can be achieved through disease prevention strategies such as good farm biosecurity measures, good farm husbandry practices and animal vaccination programmes.

Under no circumstances should antibiotics be used to compensate for poor farm management practices.

Biosecurity

Good farm biosecurity management can help protect the health of the animals on your farm. The term biosecurity refers to practices that help prevent the introduction and spread of disease within a farm.

Simple and practical biosecurity measures tailored to each farm will help reduce the risk of disease.

Farm husbandry

Good farm husbandry practices can help protect the health of the animals on your farm, thus reducing antibiotic usage and the risk of AMR development.

Good farm husbandry practices include: ensuring adequate immunity; ensuring appropriate nutrition; minimising animal stress; minimising exposure to bacteria; viruses and parasites; and developing a herd health plan to protect the health of animals on your farm.

Good husbandry helps to build the animal’s resistance to disease.

Vaccination

Vaccination is a means of boosting immunity to specific infectious agents – prompting the animal to produce antibodies or other defence against infection.

Vaccinations not only boost the immunity of a herd but they also reduce disease and prevent or reduce the shedding of disease by infected animals.

Contact your veterinary practitioner to discuss which vaccines should form part of the health plan for your herd.

Follow the ‘6 Rs’ for use of antibiotics

Right veterinary diagnosis;
Right animal;
Right dose;
Right veterinary medicine;
Right duration;
Right disposal.

Anti-parasitics

How will vet medicines rules impact farmers?

How will it impact vets?

Vet medicines – antimicrobials

Biosecurity

Farm husbandry

Vaccination

Follow the ‘6 Rs’ for use of antibiotics

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What farmers need to know about new vet medicines rules