Veterinarians will have the possibility to prescribe medicines for human use

Bratislava, 9th October (TASR) – Veterinarians will have the opportunity to prescribe drugs for human use for use in animals. “In small quantities for normal consumption, a person can choose them for a veterinary prescription directly at the pharmacy”, said Health Minister Tomáš Drucker (Smer-SD candidate). The necessary changes, on which the Ministry collaborated with the Slovak Chamber of Veterinary Doctors, were made by the modification of the Medicines Act.

The ministry expects it to facilitate veterinarians’ access to medicines for human use so that their availability for patients is not endangered. “Subsequently, a veterinarian may prescribe, in a special case, a veterinary medicinal product on veterinary prescription, which is subsequently issued to him in a public pharmacy. Holder of the marketing authorization for that medicinal product, which may Ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Eliášová explained for TASR.

According to the minister “the status quo”, Regarding the prescription of medicines by veterinarians, he did not change the latest amendment to the law on medicines, which dealt with their re-export. He pointed out that veterinarians had not been allowed to take medicines in pharmacies before, but this was not explicitly prohibited. According to Drucker, the tightening of sanctions for violations of the legislation has begun since the beginning of the year “to avoid” prescription drugs from veterinarians.

The amendment to the law is expected to take effect in March 2018 if the government, parliament and president agree.