The contentious regulations provide for tighter controls around the prudent use of antiparasitic medications. This includes the upregulation of all anti-parasitics to prescription only medicine (POM) status, with anti-parasitics now available only on foot of a veterinary prescription issued by a veterinary practitioner. Certain vaccines are also included in the regulations.
Minister McConalogue said that his focus has been on ensuring appropriate and prudent use of antimicrobial and antiparasitic veterinary medicines but, without undermining existing supply channels for farmers through retailers, including licensed merchants and co-operatives. The introduction of a ‘proper assessment protocol’ for the prescribing of anti-parasitic veterinary medicinal products will facilitate this, he said. He acknowledged that, despite the significant process of consultation in recent years, stakeholders had a range of concerns and perspectives on the changes being brought forward.
Commenting on the regulations, the minister said: “In finalising these regulations, I sought to strike a reasonable balance between the differing viewpoints of stakeholders, without compromising on the overall objective. There has been extensive engagement, which was important, but it is also important to bring clarity to matters that have been under consideration for some time. It is vital that appropriate veterinary expertise is brought to bear when it comes to prescribing medicines, but equally that farmers have access to these medicines from a variety of supply channels at reasonable cost. I am satisfied that these regulations achieve those objectives.” However, not everyone agrees with this.
Co-op sector ‘aggrieved’
In a statement from ICOS, it said the co-op sector was ‘aggrieved’ by the minister’s decision. It said Minister McConalogue has ignored the legitimate concerns of the co-operative farming sector in his decision to sign the regulations into law.
“We express our deep frustration and disappointment with the minister. His decision will directly damage licensed merchants across Ireland, severely inhibiting their businesses, disadvantaging farmers and undermining a key pillar of rural commerce.
“The minister's refusal to allow co-ops and licensed merchants to continue retailing POMs, and non-prescription medicines including anti-parasitics, will result in significant economic damage to our businesses.
“To date, these medicines may be sold by a veterinary practitioner, pharmacist, or for certain specific products, by a responsible person from a licensed retailer, thereby ensuring a balanced supply chain and a level of open market competition.
“Licensed merchants will now be forced to operate within a high-cost supply route for a market that is predicted to shrink over the next decade, while being completely frozen out of supplying essential products to farmers. This doesn’t just undermine our industry – it directly affects the livelihoods of livestock farmers, who will bear the brunt of reduced competition, reduced accessibility to veterinary products and higher prices.
“Over four years of engagement and negotiations with the minister and his officials, we have always sought a fair and practical approach to the implementation of these regulations; one that ensures farmers retain access to essential veterinary medicines through multiple channels.
“We are particularly aggrieved that, after years of dialogue, the voices of the co-operative farming sector and licensed merchant community have been ignored. The minister’s approach will unfortunately lead to the potential closure of merchant stores across the country, further limiting farmers' access to these essential products. This goes against the future sustainability of livestock farming in Ireland.
‘Missed opportunity’
In a statement from Veterinary Ireland, it referred to the minister’s move as a ‘missed opportunity’. The inclusion of an alternative ‘proper assessment protocol’ for the prescribing of antiparasitic veterinary medicines the has downgraded the prescribing of antiparasitic veterinary medicines in order to address a perceived commercial issue, it said.
According to Conor Geraghty, MVB Cert DHH, chair, Veterinary Ireland Medicines Working Group: “To address the issue of resistance we must ensure that the right product is given to the right animals at the right time, that refugia is maintained through selective, targeted treatments and that parasite control becomes a planned farm-specific procedure. The gateway to this outcome is through proper, scientific farm-specific advice from the farmers’ vet where a Client-Patient-Practice-Relationship (CPPR) is in existence. This advice must be ongoing and monitored, take account of farm specific issues such as epidemiology, pharmacology, the clinical picture, stocking densities, buying policy and local factors.
“It is vital that farmers engage with their own veterinary practitioner to get proper tailored advice on dosing arrangements, and this will result in farmers using less antiparasitic veterinary medicines, savings to famers and improved productivity and profit, whilst addressing resistance.” Veterinary Ireland is now calling on the minister to do all in his power to support this engagement between farmers and their vets.
According to Hazell Mullins, president of Veterinary Ireland, the definition of 24-hour cover in the regulations presents a real risk to the level of veterinary service that animal owners in Ireland have been accustomed to up until now. “It is clear that the Veterinary Council of Ireland’s Code of Professional Conduct is at variance with this alternative distance-prescribing arrangement in the regulations. The ‘proper assessment protocol’ does not require the provision of 24-hour cover in the traditional sense where the client’s vet is available to treat animals 24/7 365 days a year. Under these regulations, the prescribing vet who has no knowledge of the farm will only have to provide cover for an adverse reaction to the treatment prescribed.”