Repeat Prescriptions |
The Medicines Act controls all medicinal products (human and veterinary) by regulating their safety, quality and efficacy. It classifies medicinal products into several categories; most of the products we prescribe fall into the Prescription Only Medicines-Veterinarian (POM-V) category.
POM-V products can only be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon for administration to animals under his/her care and the penalties for improperly supplying these products can be severe. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' Guide to Professional Conduct states that 'the veterinary surgeon must have seen the animal for the purpose of diagnosis and prescription and immediately prior thereto'. This document also stats that 'under no circumstances whatsoever should medicinal products be supplied for administration to an animal under a veterinarian's care unless a veterinarian in the practice has given specific authority for the administration of the product in question to that animal'. To help us comply with these regulations we ask that you give at least 48 hours notice when your pet requires a repeat prescription and that he/she has an appointment for a re-examination every 3 months. The fee for this re-examination is £21.54.
The Medicines Act requires veterinary surgeons to use only veterinary licensed products. The licensing procedure is very costly and results in these products being considerably more expensive than the generic products which sre often used by the medical profession. Information is available, on request, of the price of any medicine that may be prescribed for animals under our care.
We follow the British Veterinary Association's Code of Practice on Medicines which recommends that 'once stock has been dispensed it should not be accepted back into the dispensary'.
Occassionally we are asked to provide a written prescription for a medicinal product rather than supply it ourselves. We are willing to do this but the same regulations apply - that is, the animal must be under our care and the pharmacist must dispense the veterinary licensed product.
Guidelines as of 1st April 2006
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