Why is the VMD banning advertising?

30 July 2010

FEARS adverts for antimicrobials are leading to farmers putting pressure on their vets to prescribe them are behind the proposed ban, according to Defra.

A Defra spokesman said it was keeping the ‘complex issue’ of antimicrobial resistance affecting human and animal health ‘under close scrutiny’.

“To maintain good standards of animal health and welfare it is crucial that antimicrobial drugs remain effective and responsible prescribing is essential to avoid premature development of resistance.

“It is considered that advertising these drugs to professional keepers of animals is leading to pressure on vets to prescribe new products that are being promoted as offering commercial benefits when established older products may be a better therapeutic choice for treatment and for the control of antimicrobial resistance.”

He stressed the proposed ban would not be implemented immediately. “We acknowledge there will be advertising programmes in the pipeline and so we are likely to allow a transitional period before any change, if agreed, comes into force.”

More information

The consultation on the proposed ban started on June 18 and details can be seen at: http://www.vmd.gov.uk/publications/consultations/vmr10.htm

Readers' comments (1)

the peasant | 31 July 2010 3:43 pm
"FEARS adverts for antimicrobials are leading to farmers putting pressure on their vets to prescribe them are behind the proposed ban"
And could we be told how many vets have complained either to DEFRA or their professional body about this pressure, and how many have given in to it? Without this information these proposals are a nonsense.
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