New paragraph 7A
103. After paragraph 7 insert—
“Duties in relation to prescribing of antibiotic veterinary medicinal products
7A.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) a veterinary surgeon may not prescribe a veterinary medicinal product which is an antibiotic for prophylactic purposes.
(2) Without prejudice to paragraph 6(1A), a veterinary surgeon may only prescribe a veterinary medicinal product which is an antibiotic for administration to an animal for prophylactic purposes in exceptional circumstances where the risk of an infection or of an infectious disease is very high and where the consequences of not prescribing the product are likely to be severe.
(3) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), a veterinary surgeon may only prescribe a veterinary medicinal product which is an antibiotic for administration to a group of animals for prophylactic purposes where the circumstances set out in sub-paragraph (4) apply.
(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3) the circumstances are that—
(a)the rationale for prescribing the product to the group of animals is clearly recorded by the veterinary surgeon prescribing it; and
(b)a management review is carried out by a veterinary surgeon at, or as soon as reasonably practicable after, administration of the product in order to identify factors and implement measures for the purpose of eliminating the need for any future such administration.
(5) A veterinary surgeon who prescribes a veterinary medicinal product which is an antibiotic must make a record of the satisfaction of the relevant conditions for the purposes of its use in accordance with this paragraph and keep that documentation for at least five years.”.