Brussels, 12/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - In September 2014, the European Commission put forward two legislative proposals to modernise legislation on veterinary medicines and restrict the use of medicated feed. The two texts are currently being discussed at the European Parliament and Council. The draft report by Françoise Grossetête (EPP, France) on veterinary medicines was discussed on 6 May during the EP's Environment Committee and the committee vote is planned for September. Clara Eugenia Aguilera Garcia (S&D, Spain) is in charge of the report (Agriculture Committee) on medicated feed. Christophe Buhot, the president of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE), gave us his opinion on this dossier (interview Lionel Changeur).
Agence Europe - One of the objectives in the proposals on veterinarian medicines is to tackle antibiotic resistance. Is the proposal itself sufficiently ambitious?
Christophe Buhot - The proposals by Ms Grossetête on antibiotic resistance comply with our own. Antibiotics cannot be prescribed until after a clinical examination and diagnosis by a veterinarian. Moreover, it is also necessary to ensure that these medicines are not sold on the Internet. Certain families of antibiotics must be preserved (“critical” antibiotics) and we advocate that they are only used in second-line treatment and after a sensitivity test (demonstrating that there is no other therapeutic alternative). We support a ban on the prophylactic use of antibiotics, except in surgery (fractures and caesareans). As a general rule, the use of antibiotics should not be done to conceal poor breeding practices and conditions. We also advocate an assessment of antibiotic treatments after a seven-day period (to check the effectiveness of the treatment).
Ms Grossetête's draft proposal clarifies the conditions in which veterinary care professionals are authorised to prescribe and sell antibiotics. Does the notion of decoupling create a problem?
In some countries, veterinarians are allowed to provide the medicines they prescribe. Decoupling (veterinarians are not allowed to provide the medicines they prescribe) is not the right solution to tackle antibiotic resistance. In general, veterinarians guarantee appropriate use of medicines, particularly antibiotics. One report demonstrates that the biggest consumers of antibiotics are the countries where decoupling has taken place, such as in Spain. The advantage of coupling is to also maintain a veterinary connection throughout the territory in question. This question does not in fact have anything to do with the directive on veterinary medicines but rather the deontology codes and the question of regulated professions in general, whose legislation is covered within the scope of each member state.
The Commission is also seeking to improve access to veterinary medicines throughout Europe. Are the proposals on the table sufficient?
Overall, the new regulation should improve the availability of veterinary medicines throughout EU territory. Without medicines, we are unable to provide treatment. Marketing procedures should be simplified. Data should be protected during a longer period because businesses must have a return on their investments. There are also environmental criteria but attention should be paid to preventing additional constraints being created that could lead to the abandonment of certain molecules needed. It is also important to maintain within the text the notion of minor species for which simplified procedure would help to provide access to medicines normally reserved for other spaces.
Do you have an idea of the timetable for adopting these texts?
We are hoping to have an initial outline of the text by the end of 2015 and an agreement in the first half of 2016 (under the Dutch Presidency).