The Medicines (Exemptions for Merchants in Veterinary Drugs) (Amendment) Order 2000

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends articles 6 and 7 of the Medicines (Exemption for Merchants in Veterinary Drugs) Order 1998. It provides for gloves and laminated sheets with safety warnings to be supplied by agricultural merchants on any sale or supply of organophosphorus sheep dips. It takes away the right of marketing authorisation holders to sell veterinary medicines directly to users (though reserving their right to supply them free, subject to similar requirements in relation to such dips).

This Order also amends article 8 of the 1998 Order so as to provide that records of sales are to be kept only for products to which the 1998 Order applies which are intended for food-producing animals. Article 8 implemented Article 50b.2 of Council Directive 81/851/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to veterinary medicinal products (OJ No. L317, 6.11.81, p.1), which sets out provisions for record keeping by retailers of those products, and this Order derogates from the 1998 Order to the extent authorised by Article 50b.3 of that Directive.

A Regulatory Appraisal has been prepared and a copy has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament. Copies can be obtained from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3LS.