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Veterinary Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 June 2021

Wednesday, 16 June 2021

Questions (243)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

243. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made in ensuring that various animal remedies that were available up to now without a prescription from a veterinary surgeon will still be available at competitive prices after the EU regulation requiring them to be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon comes into force here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32319/21]

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Written answers

In line with findings from a 2019 Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) Expert Task Force Report, antiparasitic veterinary medicines no longer meet exemption criteria in EU law which permits them to be supplied without a veterinary prescription. Therefore, from 28th January 2022, antiparastic veterinary medicines will require a veterinary prescriptions before they can be supplied.

All current suppliers of antiparasitic veterinary medicines will continue to be legally permitted to supply these medicines post-January 2022. The Department is actively working with all stakeholders to sustain a competitive market for the supply of these products. The ambition is to ensure Irish farmers are empowered to purchase medicines from their supplier of choice.

Initiatives such as the development of a National Veterinary Prescribing System (NVPS) will help deliver on this ambition. The NVPS will result in a prescription being made available to a farmer by email, text or in paper. Farmers can then engage with Licensed Merchants, veterinary pharmacists or their veterinary practitioner in getting their prescription dispensed.

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