BVA President tells Stormont drug supply fears haven’t gone away

Vets in Northern Ireland’s vets could face the nightmare scenario of being be left with no treatment options for some diseases without a post-Brexit medicine supply solution being found, it has been warned

New BVA President Anna Judson spelled out her worst fears as she addressed the association’s annual Northern Ireland dinner at Stormont on October 18.

Temporary arrangements run until the end of 2025 but without a solution the potential of a black market for some medications persists.

Dr Judson said: “We are looking at the loss of the only licensed Salmonella vaccine and both leptospirosis vaccines for cattle – diseases which affect both animals and people.

“We would lose some flu and tetanus vaccines for horses – and we know tetanus is often a fatal disease – and we could lose insulin for dogs and cats.

“These are just a few examples of the scale of impact if a solution is not found.”

The association has called for the introduction of what it terms a “grandfather rule” that would require newly licensed medicines to adhere to EU rules, but enable the continuing supply of products that complied with the bloc’s regulations pre-Brexit.

Dr Judson called 0n those in attendance to lobby both the European Commission and UK Government and the main UK opposition parties ahead of  the next General Election.

She added: “We recognise the current challenges faced by DAERA in the absence of a sitting Assembly, and with the secretary of state’s recent budget cuts.

“However, Northern Ireland has historically been held back by outdated or absent animal health and welfare legislation and lags behind the rest of the UK, an example being the current lack of a legal or regulatory requirement for farrier registration.”