Announcements, Events & Open Meetings
02/04/13 - New Electronic Prescription Misuse Form
A new electronic prescription misuse report form is now available online under the Quick Link 'Veterinary Medicines Regulations' - Prescription Misuse and under the 'Using Medicines' menu on the Veterinary Professionals area.
In 2012 the VMD carried out an Information Gathering exercise on Prescription fraud/tampering. As a result of the information received, we have developed a web page specifically for prescriptions and a guidance document for writing prescriptions with ways to help prevent tampering/fraud. There is also an easier route for reporting prescription misuse.
The VMD would like to encourage veterinarians, pharmacists and veterinary medicines retailers to make use of this interactive form to report suspected prescription misuse.
Please provide any feedback on these new pages and the report form to Denise Burge - d.burge@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk.
12/03/13 - Invitation to the VMD's Open Day on 14th June 2013
Invitation to the VMD's Open Day on 14th June for people from charities, voluntary organisations, consumer organisations and other bodies who are concerned with animal health and who may therefore have an interest in the work of the VMD. Please see this letter for more information.
04/03/13 - RCVS Press Release: 'Antimicrobial resistance in human and veterinary medicine: one medicine, one problem?' symposium which took place on 2 October 2012
UK antimicrobial resistance strategies need to think globally
As well as pursuing all reasonable measures to reduce emergence and proliferation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the UK, our national strategies need to consider measures to reduce, identify and deal with imported problems, be they in humans, food or animals. That's the advice in a communiqué issued by the organising committee of a recent symposium on antimicrobial resistance.
The symposium, entitled 'Antimicrobial resistance in human and veterinary medicine: one medicine, one problem?' brought together researchers, practitioners and policy makers from both the human and veterinary medical fields to explore the evidence base for antimicrobial resistance.
The communiqué, published online today, summarises the key findings of the event and stresses the importance of AMR being seen as a global issue, by saying: "In an increasingly connected world, it is evident that any measures need to tackle global use [of antibiotics]."
The event was held at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) on 2 October 2012, and was jointly organised by the RCP, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Royal College of Pathologists, in association with the Health Protection Agency, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
"The symposium was a very constructive and successful event. Not only were there medics and vets talking in the same room, they were in broad agreement about the key issues. Now we need to carry these messages to the politicians in Britain and in Europe, and the communiqué is the start of that process," says Professor the Lord Trees, who jointly organised the event with Dr Bharat Patel of the Health Protection Agency.
The communiqué can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/amr, together with the programme and presentations from the event.
The organisers of the event would like to acknowledge generous financial support from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the RCVS Charitable Trust, the Wellcome Trust and the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
Events that the VMD plans to attend as an exhibitor in 2013:
- British Small Animal Veterinary Assoc (BSAVA), NIA Birmingham - 4-7 April
- London Pet Show, Earls Court, London - 11-12 May
- Royal Highland Show - 20-23 June
- Dairy Event and Livestock show, NEC Birmingham - 3-4 July
- British Equine Veterinary Assoc (BEVA), Manchester - 11-14 September
- Pharmacy Show, NEC Birmingham - 29-30 September
- British Veterinary Nurses Assoc (BVNA), Telford IC Shropshire - 11-13 October
- London Vet Show (incorporating BVA Congress), Olympia London - 21-22 November
Other Events:
Invitation to debate 'Regulating internet pharmacies - fist or feather' by the Chartered Institute of Marketing 30 April 2013, to be held at the BPP Business School, London, please see flyer attached. Speakers:
- Paul Green, Director of Operations, VMD;
- Philip Sketchley BSc(Hons), NOAH;
- Tom Mowlem BVSc, MRCVS, Joint Partner, Companion Care;
- Jeremy Johnson BVSc MRCVS, Director, Vetpol Ltd.
14/05/13 - Pharmaceutical Industry Information Event
To register for this event, please email j.sydenham@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk
Click here to view the Draft Agenda.
Presentations & Reports from Previous Meetings:
- 21/11/12 - VMD & VPC Open Meeting Information Pack and Presentations
- 27/03/12 - Biologicals Information Day Question and Answers, Presentations
