Rules will demand that farmers need a veterinary prescription for antiparasitic veterinary medicines in 2022
All interested parties have been invited to submit observations on how best to implement new EU regulations on veterinary medicinal products, due to come into effect in January 2022.
They can email observations to vetmedregs@agriculture.gov.ie as part of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s work with all stakeholders on implementing the regulations, which are binding in full with direct effect on all EU Member States, with limited national discretion available.
As in previous regulations, non-prescription status is allowed for certain products which do not present a risk to human or animal health or to the environment. Up to now, Ireland availed of this exemption to allow anthelmintics to remain available without prescription.
However, knowledge of the impact of extensive use of anthelmintics has changed.
For example, anthelmintic resistance has been widely reported in parasites of livestock species in Ireland and globally. Resistance is developing year-on-year, and is now a significant animal health issue.
In 2019, a review found that antiparasitic veterinary medicines for food-producing species do not comply with the criteria for derogation from veterinary prescription, and have to be up-regulated, to supply under veterinary prescription from January, 2022.
The review was carried out by the Health Product Regulatory Authority, the state agency which regulates medicines, medical devices and other health products, for protection and enhancement of public and animal health.
The HPRA finding brings Ireland in line with other Member States.
Vets, pharmacists and licensed merchants can continue to stock antiparasitic veterinary medicines, but a veterinary prescription will be needed to dispense them from January, 2022.
