The UK Veterinary Medicines Directorate has opted to close a legal loophole that has allowed pharmaceutical companies in the UK to advertise their products directly to farmers, despite the practice being outlawed across the rest of the EU. From next year, the practice will be outlawed in the UK in line with the rest of Europe; the move was precipitated by European Commission intervention.

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Although the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in the UK said it considers “Those who derive an income from the rearing of animals [and] professional keepers of animals [as] distinct from the general public,” the Commission informed the UK authorities that “the definition of ‘general public’ should be taken from the Human Medicines legislation (Directive 2001/83/EC) where the term is used to describe patients (who have a demand for medicines) and that advertising for prescription medicines is only allowed to healthcare professionals (who supply the medicines).”

Changes to the law in the UK were mooted in 2010 and sparked a fierce backlash from farming industry organisations and the farming press, who make a substantial amount of money from antimicrobial advertising. A consultation on the matter led to the UK government deciding against restricting advertising of antibiotics that year.

However, the Commission formally objected the UK’s decision, accusing the authorities of having violated Directive 2001/83/EC. The EC said the UK did not “correctly transpose the European directive which prohibits the advertising of certain veterinary medicinal products to the general public.”

On Thursday (11th October), the VMD said antimicrobial resistance, a growing problem around the world, had played a significant role in its decision to restrict advertising of pharmaceutical products. Earlier this month Danish officials warned EU ministers that moves made in the country, a front runner in efforts to tackle resistance and overuse of antibiotics, are being undermined by lacklustre efforts elsewhere in Europe.

Last week, an international team of researchers revealed that investigations conducted in the Netherlands had shown people living near livestock or in livestock farming communities may be at greater risk of contracting anti-biotic resistant MRSA bacteria. The researchers concluded that “Future work should investigate the relationship between intensive livestock operations… and exposures to drug-resistant microbes including MRSA.”

VMD said last week, “A number of interested parties from veterinary medicine hold the view that the advertising of antibiotics to keepers of animals leads to undue pressure to prescribe newer antibiotics, which can often be important in human medicine and are associated with the development of multiple resistances.”

Although the NFU expressed disappointment at the announcement, which it claimed is not scientifically justifiable, the British Veterinary Association countered the union’s complaints and welcomed the move. The Alliance to Save our Antibiotics, made up of a number of farming groups, including Compassion in World Farming and the Soil Association, welcomed the decision and suggested the new rules should be implemented as soon as possible.

Peter Jones, BVA president, said the VMD’s decision is a sensible one, and reiterated that his organisation had pushed for restrictions in 2010. He said, “The BVA has consistently argued for the restriction of advertising of antimicrobials to animal keepers and we believe this is the right decision. New antimicrobials are heavily advertised by pharmaceutical companies and there can be undue pressure put on veterinary surgeons by clients who want to try new products that promise good results, but which may not be appropriate from the point of view of responsible use.

“Antimicrobial resistance is a very serious issue for both animal and human health and we are pleased that the European Commission and the VMD have taken the view that the Regulations need to be revised. Ultimately, it is the veterinary surgeon who will make the decision on which veterinary products to use and vets will continue to work with their farm clients to ensure antimicrobials are used prudently and responsibly.”

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