Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 December 2004
162 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans to restrict prescription writing of POM medicines to vets; her views on allowing pharmacists and other suitably qualified personnel to write such prescriptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33963/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder existing legislation, namely, regulation 13 of the Animal Remedies Regulations 1996, the writing of prescriptions of prescription only medicines, POMs, is restricted to veterinary surgeons.
My Department is currently finalising a package of amendments to the existing legislation governing the national regime and the animal remedies consultative committee will be consulted on these in the near future. One of the key objectives of these amendments is to make the prescribing regime more effective and workable. This would be achieved by removing some inflexibility from the current regime and, with appropriate safeguards, according greater weight to the professional judgment of a veterinary surgeon as to when a clinical examination of animals under his or her care would be necessary.
However, it is not my intention in the current environment to extend the range of persons who would be enabled to prescribe veterinary medicines which have been designated prescription only. It is intended to extend, where appropriate, the range of outlets which could supply on foot of a prescription to include the licensed merchant category. I believe that these proposed changes will represent significant steps in making the regime more workable and effective in the current environment, while safeguarding public health.
