Article 46U.K.The use of veterinary medicinal products for disease prevention and control
1.The Member States may take measures concerning the use of veterinary medicinal products for listed diseases, to ensure the most efficient prevention or control of those diseases, provided that such measures are appropriate or necessary.
Those measures may cover the following:
(a)prohibitions and restrictions on the use of veterinary medicinal products;
(b)the compulsory use of veterinary medicinal products.
2.Member States shall take the following criteria into consideration when determining whether or not to use, and how to use, veterinary medicinal products as prevention and control measures for a specific listed disease:
(a)the disease profile;
(b)the distribution of the listed disease in:
the Member State concerned;
the Union;
where relevant, neighbouring third countries and territories;
third countries and territories from which animals and products are brought into the Union;
(c)the availability and effectiveness of the veterinary medicinal products in question, and the risks attaching to them;
(d)the availability of diagnostic tests for detecting infections in animals treated with the veterinary medicinal products concerned;
(e)the economic, social, animal welfare and environmental impact of the use of the veterinary medicinal products concerned compared to other available disease prevention and control strategies.
3.Member States shall take appropriate preventive measures concerning the use of veterinary medicinal products for scientific studies or for the purposes of developing and testing them under controlled conditions to protect animal and public health.