Veterinary pharmacy

It has been suggested that this article be merged into Veterinary pharmacist. (Discuss) Proposed since August 2021.

Veterinary pharmacy is a field of pharmacy practice, in which veterinary pharmacists may compound medications, fill prescriptions, and manage drug therapies for animals.^[1] Veterinary pharmacists are licensed pharmacists who specialize in the distribution of medications for animals.^[1] This article deals with the veterinary pharmacopeia.

History[]

United States[]

In the United States, The first mention of veterinary pharmacy may date back to around 1960, when literature was published synthesizing veterinary medicine and antibiotic usage.^[1] The role of a pharmacist in veterinary practice has expanded largely due to the workings of drug company production methods, in addition to prices of veterinary medication.^[2] For instance, veterinarians historically compounded medications themselves, due to a lack of commercially available veterinary medications.^[2] While this has changed, with multiple drug companies such as Merck Animal Health selling $3.3 billion worth of drugs for pets and livestock, due to expensive approvals necessary from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), most drugs are often approved for one particular type of patient.^[2] As drugs may be approved for simply one species, compounding is extremely beneficial in veterinary medicine. Under the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act, medicines may be compounded to fit the needs of more than one type of animal.^[2] Pharmacists are therefore valuable to veterinarians in their extensive knowledge of pharmacokinetics and pharmacology. An increasing number of pharmacies are stocking animal medications,^[3] which might require modification to best treat animals. For instance according to the FDA, 75,000 pharmacies compounded 6,350,000 medications for individual animals.^[when?][4] Additionally, veterinary pharmacy has gained prominence due to the pricing of veterinary medication. As pet owners advocated for more options for their pets' medications in the US, the was introduced into Congress, and would allow pet owners to find the cheapest medication for their pet.^[5]

United Kingdom[]

In the United Kingdom pharmacists were involved in dispensing veterinary prescriptions and even treating and euthanasing small animals up to the early 1950s but this activity largely ceased with the escalating requirements of human health under the growing National Health Service and the passing of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. There were a few pharmacies that supplied farmers but it was not until the late 1970s when the term Veterinary Pharmacist came into currency. In 1981 the RPSGB Diploma course in Veterinary pharmacy was initiated by professionals such as Michael Jepson and Steven Kayne, the former of whom led what was to become an institution until he retired in 2004.^[6]

Regulators[]

In addition to oversight by the FAO,^[7] and the OIE, which governs the Terrestrial Animal Health Code, the veterinary pharmacopeia is regulated by various governmental bodies, including

• USDA, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration
• CFIA
• EMA and its Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use
• Veterinary Medicines Directorate^[8][9]

References[]