The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has put "a number of key areas" which it says "must be addressed" in the ongoing veterinary medicines debate to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

Farm organisations and other stakeholders met with the DAFM yesterday (Wednesday, July 31), to discuss the proposed changes under the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill 2023.

Veterinary practitioners, merchants and farm organisations have all raised concerns about the Statutory Instrument (SI) of the bill which is expected to be signed by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue "shortly".

The SI would see significant changes to prescription rules and the route of supply of veterinary medicines, including some vaccines. The act provided Minister McConalogue with the powers to create regulations under the act.

Following yesterday's meeting, the IFA animal health chair, TJ Maher said a "number of key areas that must be addressed" were put to the DAFM during the meeting. These include:

12-month validity period for prescriptions for products other than antibiotics;
Consultant vet prescribing for antiparasitic products is important but consultant vets facilitated to prescribe must be vets who are actively practising as veterinary practitioners for farm animals in Ireland;
Provide a simplified prescribing system for the private veterinary practitioner associated with the herd to reduce costs for farmers in sourcing prescriptions;
The Prescription Only Medicine Exempt (POME) category must be maintained to minimise the prescription requirement to purchase veterinary medicines for farmers, and ensure veterinary pharmacies continue to play an active role in the provision of advice to farmers and supply of veterinary medicines;
Provide for licensed merchants and co-ops to supply POME vaccines under prescription;
Provide for consultant vets to prescribe POME vaccines under a schedule similar to the prescribing process provided for antiparasitic products.

At the moment, Prescription-Only Medicines (POM) vaccines and antibiotic tubes can be bought through a licensed merchant under prescription. However, POME vaccines can only be sold in a registered pharmacy or veterinary practice.

The implementation of the new veterinary regulation, EU Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulation 2019/6, through the SI has the potential to "severely limit competition" in the supply of veterinary medicines for farmers, he said and added:

Maher said the IFA's proposals "ensure" that the impact on farmers is "kept to a minimum" and all current actors in the sale, supply and prescribing of veterinary medicines remain actively involved, while meeting the obligations under EU regulation.

The draft Veterinary Medicinal Product Regulations have not yet been finalised or signed. Maher said it is now up to the minister and his officials "to reflect them [IFA proposals] in the SI for Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulations".

In a statement to Agriland, the DAFM said that its officials held a "constructive consultation" with veterinary, farming, retail and pharmacy organisations and that their views will be considered in the formulation of the Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulations 2024.