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Is my veterinary medicine approved in the UK

Advice / By

How do I know if my veterinary medicine is approved for use in the UK?

How can I tell if my veterinary medicine is real?

Is it a problem if I import a medicine or use an unauthroised one?

Although we focus on parasite control for equines – so horse wormers, control of bots, flys, encysted redworm etc the UK legislation applies across the board to all veterinary medicines in all species.

Firstly, the legal backgound for veterinary medicines in the UK. The control(s) on the manufacture, authorisation, marketing, distribution and post-authorisation surveillance of veterinary medicines in the UK set out in The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 SI 2033 which came into force on 1st Oct 2013. We’ll call this the VMR from here onwards.

The full text of the legislation can be found here. It is worth noting that, at the time of writing (March 2023) the UK veterinary regulations are going through a public consultation around their revision. It is anticipated the update legislation will be put forward in late 2023/early 2024

So some quotes from the VMR in relation to authorised medicines, offences etc:

No person may supply an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product.
UK VMR
It is an offence to import a veterinary medicine that’s not authorised for use in the UK unless it’s under an import certificate issued by the VMD.
UK VMR
No person may be in possession of an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product with the intention of supplying that product to another person
UK VMR
It is an offence under the VMR to supply or administer an out of date or expired medicine
UK VMR

 

So, what do we need to look for on the packaging, or website when buying or being suplpied a veterinary medicine?

The key piece of information that will prove the medicine you are buying, being supplied with or using, is authorised in the UK is the Marketing Authorisation number, often abbreviated to MA Number. The marketing authroisaiton number is unique to each product and for the UK is constructed like the below:

Vm ABCDE/XXXX

  • Vm= Veterinary Medicine
  • ABCDE = 5 digit code that indicates the Maketing Authorisation Holder, and
  • XXXX = 4 digit Product Specific Code

 



Can we see an Example ?

Sure, lets have a look at well used horse worming product, namely Panacur ® Equine Guard with Apple and Cinnamon Flavour Oral Suspension.

Panacur ® Equine Guard contains fenbendazole as the active ingredient and is used in mixed in the horses feed for 5 consecutive days. Panacur is provided as a liquid that is then mixed with the horses grain or concentrate feed ration. The full daily dosage must be given as one administration. Importantly Panacur ® Equine Guard is indicated for the control of encysted inhibited and encyctsed mucosal small redworm.

The overall packaging for Panacur looks like the imges to the right. Wwe can see that there are two important pieces of information highlighted, namely the Vm number which shows this product has a UK marketing authorisation and the legal distribution category which in this case is POM-VPS.

The legal category shows whom can prescribe and supply this product; namely Veterinarian, Pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person (SQP).

We operate with at all times under the control of an SQP, and our premsies are approved by the VMD for the retail of appropriate classes of veterinary medicines.

Now that we have our product, namely Panacur Equine Guard, and our Vm number we can cross check all this infromation on the VMD Product Information Database.

The database contains current information about veterinary medicines authorised in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Product details are subject to change. Once approved by the VMD, the updated Summary of Product Characteristics (SPCs) that supplies the label text will be available here almost immediately. However, it may take up to 12 months for these changes to appear on marketed packaging.

All UK approved veterinary products will appear on this database– if your product is not on there its not approved in the UK.


Are there exceptions ?

Yes, is the short answer. Some exceptions to the product requiring a UK Vm Number include:

  • The product is exempted under small pet animal scheme.
  • The product has been imported by a vet (or agent) for administration under the cascade
  • The product is being used for defined research purposes

If you have any doubut talk to your prescriber and/or supplier.

Sale of Animal Medicines

Certain Veterinary Medicinal Products (VMPs) in the UK can only be supplied and prescribed by a Registered Qualified Person (RQP) – Veterinarian, Pharmacist or Registered Animal Medicines Adviser (RAMA (~SQP) and further only premises approved by the Secretary of State can supply them. Prescription Only Animal Medicines (POM-VPS) available from HorseWorming.co.uk are prescribed and supplied to you by a Registered Animal Medicines Adviser (RAMA).

To be able to supply a POM-VPS product to a customer an RQP must first prescribe the product, the act of prescription is taken to be the decision made by the RQP as to which product should be supplied taking the following into consideration for example:

  • The need for treatment and advice sought.
  • The available veterinary medicinal products that are authorised
  • The competence of the person who will be administering the product
  • The circumstances of the holding and the animals being treated (species/age/number/weight/general health/pregnant or lactating/other medication/food chain animal or not/horse passport)
  • The requirement for the person receiving the product to use it for an authorised use according to the marketing authorisation
  • The responsible use of the medicines and the requirement to prescribe the minimum amount of product necessary

So please be aware that we will need to interact with you before suplying any medicine.