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While the NI protocol within the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement means that NI will effectively be part of the EU regulatory zone, we will not be mirroring changes proposed south of the Irish border in how dosing products are prescribed.
From January 2022, new EU rules on fluke drenches and wormers are likely to mean that farmers in the Republic of Ireland will require a prescription from a vet before making a purchase.
However, while it might be expected that NI would have to do the same, Bryan Lovegrove from the UK Animal Health Distributors Association (AHDA) has highlighted that is not the case.
Responding to an article on page 7 of last week’s Irish Farmers Journal, he pointed out that NI veterinary medicine regulations fall under the remit of the UK wide Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and will continue to do so.
Crucially, the new EU regulation contains an exemption which allows professional people other than vets to prescribe these products
“AHDA and many others fought hard, ahead of the UK Brexit vote to ensure that whether or not the UK left the EU, the UK would retain multi-channel prescribing,” he said.
It means that as well as veterinarians, pharmacists and suitably qualified persons (SQPs) working in licensed merchants will be able to continue recommending dosing products to farmers.
Crucially, the new EU regulation contains an exemption which allows professional people other than vets to prescribe these products.
But it only applies in member states such as the UK, which had a regime in place to train and assess people at the time the regulation came into force in January 2019.
In the Republic of Ireland, farm lobby organisations have criticised the proposed changes, and warned that it will reduce competition in the market.
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