From 1st September 2023 the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS, regulatory body for the veterinary profession in the UK) introduced new guidance on prescribing prescription-only medicines.
The full guidance can be found on:
The new guidance requires that a physical examination of the pet has to be performed every time any antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, controlled drugs and anti -parasiticides are prescribed.
This includes topical preparations such as ear and eye drops, and all prescription flea/worm/tick products.
The guidance is an important step towards ensuring responsible antimicrobial use and reducing the veterinary impact
on the wider issues of global antibiotic resistance and decline of insect populations.
What this means in practice is that your pet will need to come in for an in-person consultation every time we need to prescribe:
anti-parasiticides (flea/worm/tick products) (up to 12 months)
any antibiotic medication (even if its a chronic problem, eg for skin, allergy etc)
antifungal/anti-viral medication
controlled medications (up to 6 months)
we/you decide to change from one flea/worm/tick product or change to another product
Prescriptions requests should be made at the time of your visit.
For long term prescription medication that is not an antimicrobial/antiparasitic, our usual policy of requiring an examination every 3-6 months continues to apply.
Consultations are charged at our usual fee
If you have any questions or concerns about the new guidance, RCVS can be contacted on:
020 7202 0789 or advice@rcvs.org.uk
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