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The EU bureaucrats wish to make
it more expensive and more difficult for us to maintain the health and
welfare of our animals. As a pharmacist with over 30 years of experience,
I can confirm that Britain already has very stringent laws that regulate
the distribution of veterinary medicines. The Pharmacy & Merchant's
List (PML) medicines cover veterinary products such as wormers, dips,
vaccines and external parasite treatments. These medicines are available
from Agricultural Merchants who employ Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs)
holding AMTRA registration, authorising them to hold and dispense such
medicines. This allows most of us with pets, and farmers with livestock,
ready access to common medicines used in the treatment of minor
infections. The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain endorse the current legislation
and practice of distribution of veterinary medicines.
On 18th July 2001, the European
Commission adopted proposals for changes in the regulation of animal
medicines in the EU. The final legal text containing these proposals was
submitted to the European Parliament and to the Council on 28th November
2001. Under the proposed change of Article 67, all animal medicines for
farm livestock and horses would become Prescription Only Medicines (POM)
and, as such, would be available only under a veterinary prescription.
This would require all of us to see a veterinary surgeon to secure a
prescription for a wormer for our dogs, cats and horses. Such a visit to a
vet may cost around £40 and we would have to pay for the wormer on top.
Farmers who are already suffering from the huge costs from loss of animals
because of Foot and Mouth Disease would have to pay substantial new
charges to vets each time they require medicines to treat their animals.
We have been buying animal
medicines under professional supervision from Agricultural Merchants for
decades. The system has worked very well to protect the health of our
animals in a very cost-effective way. Why should we succumb to the whims
of faithless bureaucrats in Brussels who seem to have nothing better to do
than to create useless legislation that interferes with well-established,
successful distribution systems that we have in Britain? If the
Continentals don't have a distribution system like ours then let them
adopt our system! There are 3500 SQPs working in Agricultural Merchant
outlets throughout the UK, especially in rural areas. They would all lose
their jobs. All farmers keeping livestock, all those who have pets and
many rural businesses will all incur unnecessary costs.
I shall do my best to fight and
reject this idiotic legislative proposal from the European Commission!
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