Changes

==Drug Classifications==

==Drug Classifications==

The following categories of medication are defined by the regulations, and should be displayed clearly on the label of any veterinary medication.  

The following categories of medication are defined by the regulations, and should be displayed clearly on the label of any veterinary medication.  

*'''POM-V'''  or prescription only medicine – veterinarian. Drugs in this class require a clinical assessment of the animal by a qualified vet; the animal must be under his or her care, and only the minimum amount of medication required for treatment should be dispensed. A prescription is always required but it need not be in writing if the vet who prescribed the medication also supplies it. Vets can delegate the handing over of a POM-V medicine to a ‘competent’ person proving that each transaction is individually authorised. The regulations do not define what competent means, but some evidence must be available for the vet to be able to justify delegating to the person concerned (such as attendance at a relevant Continued Professional Development (CPD) event), and a standard operating procedure for use by members of staff who give out POM-V drugs to clients is considered good practice under the regulations. Information must be given to the client on the safe use of the product, and the client must be evaluated as intending to use the product in the authorised manner.   

*'''POM-V'''  or prescription only medicine – veterinarian. Drugs in this class require a clinical assessment of the animal by a qualified vet; the animal must be under his or her care, and only the minimum amount of medication required for treatment should be dispensed. A prescription is always required but it need not be in writing if the vet who prescribed the medication also supplies it. Vets can delegate the handing over of a POM-V medicine to a ‘competent’ person proving that each transaction is individually authorised. The regulations do not define what competent means, but some evidence must be available for the vet to be able to justify delegating to the person concerned such as attendance at a relevant Continued Professional Development (CPD) event, and a standard operating procedure for use by members of staff who give out POM-V drugs to clients is considered good practice under the regulations. Information must be given to the client on the safe use of the product, and the client must be evaluated as intending to use the product in the authorised manner.   

*'''POM-VPS''' or prescription only medicine – veterinarian, pharmacist or suitably qualified person (SQP). Medicines in this category also require a prescription, but the animal does not have to be clinically assessed or be under the care of a vet. Prescriptions must consider the health and wellbeing of the animal concerned, and can also be written by a pharmacist or a SQP operating from premises registered with the VMD. The vet can delegate the handing over of these medicines to a competent person (see above)and prices of POM-V and POM-VPS medications can be advertised to the public, but not the medications themselves.

*'''POM-VPS''' or prescription only medicine – veterinarian, pharmacist or suitably qualified person (SQP). Medicines in this category also require a prescription, but the animal does not have to be clinically assessed or be under the care of a vet. Prescriptions must consider the health and wellbeing of the animal concerned, and can also be written by a pharmacist or a SQP operating from premises registered with the VMD. The vet can delegate the handing over of these medicines to a competent person (see above)and prices of POM-V and POM-VPS medications can be advertised to the public, but not the medications themselves.

*'''NFA-VPS''' or non food producing animal – veterinarian, pharmacist, SQP. Medicines in this category do not require a prescription, but must be supplied by a vet, pharmacist or SQP and the supplier must ascertain if the owner is likely to use the drug in the authorised manner. Information must be given on the safe use of the medication. NFA-VPS medication can be advertised to the general public.

*'''NFA-VPS''' or non food producing animal – veterinarian, pharmacist, SQP. Medicines in this category do not require a prescription, but must be supplied by a vet, pharmacist or SQP and the supplier must ascertain if the owner is likely to use the drug in the authorised manner. Information must be given on the safe use of the medication. NFA-VPS medication can be advertised to the general public.