Veterinarians revolt: changes to the pet medicine law have outraged the sector

BarcelonaThe group of veterinarians in the State has been expressing their discontent for weeks over the new regulation of medicines for animals. The protests coincide with the alarms raised over whether the royal decree that came into force at the beginning of the year, transposing a European directive, could cause pets to be left without the necessary medicines. A concern fuelled by the death of the dog Selva in A Coruña, who they say has been "the first victim" of the new regulations, designed with the aim of improving the control of these drugs, avoiding illnesses and minimising resistance to microorganisms.

In the case of the dog Selva, the veterinary group that treated her explained that she died before the results of the culture that was to determine which antibiotic she needed arrived. One of the changes brought about by the new law, explains animal law specialist Núria Murlà, is that veterinarians can only prescribe the mildest antibiotics. If they believe that a more powerful treatment is necessary, they must carry out a culture to confirm this.

This has sparked criticism that points to a limitation of the veterinarians' criteria, which is shared by the president of the Official College of Veterinarians of Barcelona (COVB), Joan Mesià: "It is being questioned whether a veterinarian, who has made a career and has diagnosed this disease many times," knows whether an antibiotic is safe. Sources from the Spanish Veterinary College Organisation also believe that the measure limits the options of professionals, although they remind that, to avoid creating resistance to antibiotics, they should be prescribed after carrying out a culture.

The cost of these cultures is borne by the animal's owner and the results may take a few days. These days of waiting, according to the veterinarians who treated her, were key in the case of the dog Selva. In this sense, Mesià warns that "unfortunately, in most cases people go to the vet when it is already an urgent matter", so he sees a risk that some treatments begin later than they should.

Control of prescriptions

A common criticism among veterinarians is that the prescription control system means more work for them because they have to report them to the Ministry of Agriculture. In Mesià's words, "it creates a huge bureaucracy" when it comes to writing a prescription. "It is one of the most difficult tasks." software "That causes many problems, every time you make a prescription it takes 15 or 10 minutes," he criticizes, and demands that this process be simplified. Ara bé, from the Col·legial Veterinària Organization, points out that this communication does not mean that the antibiotic is prescribed, but that it can be sent within a period of 15 days.

Another claim from professionals is that they can sell the medications they prescribe, they can deliver the right quantity that an animal needs, and the new regulations restrict the sale to pharmacists. Mesià explains that "in all of Europe, veterinarians can market medications, except in Spain and Italy." Això, criticizes: "If you go to the pharmacy and they will donate a format of four pills, you may have a poodle that only needs four."

Another change that provides for the new standard regarding the type of medications they can receive. Some veterinarians prescribe antibiotics for humans with a composition other than that indicated for animals, and the new decree stipulates that they may only use veterinary medication. Both Mesià and Murlà warn that veterinary medicines are more expensive and that drugs for humans are much easier to find.

For all these reasons, Murlà sees "a risk that there may be families who cannot afford the treatments." In response to these claims, the Federation of Pharmaceutical Companies (FEFE) has asked that the law that establishes that pharmacists are the only ones authorised to sell medicines be complied with.