The cascade and responsible use of medicines in food animals

Question 1

What is the cascade?

Answer 1

a risk analysis cascade to work out whether we can use drugs not licensed for that specific species but licensed in another

Question 2

What are your responsibilities as a vet?

Answer 2

the health of the animal

the health of the public

Question 3

List why responsible medicine use is important

Answer 3

• antimicrobial resistance
• anthelmintic resistance
• animal health and welfare- reduce need for medicine and treatment
• safeguarding the food supply
• food quality and safety
• environmental impact
• public health, direct (contamination of food chain) and indirect risks (antibiotic into environment)

Question 4

Why is this difficult in some cases?

Answer 4

some animals can be kept as pets or as food-producing animals
different restrictions for food-producing animals and legislation about what can be given to them. EG: pet pigs can’t be given any drugs, has to be the ones acceptable for a food producing animal.

Question 5

What are the different distribution caetgories?

Answer 5

• Prescription-only medicines-Vet
• prescription-only medicines- Vet, Pharmacist, SQP= suitably qualified person
• Non-food animal- Vet, Pharmacist, SQP
• Authorised Veterinary Medicine- off the shelf, a general sales list.

Question 6

What will SQP change to in new legislation?

Answer 6

SQP= suitably qualified person
RAMA= Registered Animal medicine advisor
Receive particular training

Question 7

What is a data sheet?

Answer 7

summary of characteristics of the product, including vital information about the formulation, dosage, risk, who produced it, and withdrawal periods.
NOAH compendium- searchable database

Question 8

What does NOAH stand for?

Answer 8

National office for Animal health

members organisation of pharmaceutical companies

Question 9

What key information should a prescription have on it?

Answer 9

For a farmer/ food-producing animals: withdrawal period, and if its prescribed under the cascade

Question 10

What is important for labelling?

Answer 10

Medicines must be appropriately labelled with withdrawal periods if required.

Question 11

why do some species lack medicines that are licenced for their use?

Answer 11

Minority species, such as goats, there isn’t an economical demand or substantial requirement, therefore vets can use the cascade since a medicine may be perfectly good for a different species or different condition but it’s not authorised for that purpose

Question 12

What is important to be aware of when prescribing medicines through the cascade methods?

Answer 12

Withdrawal periods

Question 13

What is the minimum withdrawal period for Eggs ad milk?

Answer 13

Should not be less than 7 days

Question 14

What is the minimum withdrawal period for meat from poultry and mammals?

Answer 14

Should not be less than 28 days

Question 15

What is the minimum withdrawal period for fish meat?

Answer 15

500 degree days

1 degree multiplied by the number of days

Question 16

When would the withdrawal period be longer?

Answer 16

When the medicine itself states a longer withdrawal period, therefore choose the longest of both periods

Question 17

What is the extra step with prescribing medicines for food-producing animals?

Answer 17

Only substances listed on the commission’s regulations EU No 37/2010 can be administered to food-producing animals

Question 18

Why can’t some active ingredients in medicines be used?

Answer 18

• not for human consumption medicines, such as bute for horses- have to have their passports signed to be given this painkiller in the UK, not legal in the EU because unlikely to be sure they won’t be used for human food.

Question 19

What is really important with medicine records?

Answer 19

• needs to be traceable
• ensure the withdrawal time is respected
• kept up to date and accessible

Question 20

What are the different methods of administration?

Answer 20

Oral, IV, IM, SC, Intramammary, Topical, Intraperitoneal, Intrauterine, the base of the ear

Question 21

What aspects of safety, animal welfare, and product quality need to be ensured?

Answer 21

Restraint, New needles, Health and safety, animal welfare- avoid locomotor muscles, carcass/ hide damage kept to a minimum

Question 22

What is important to report?

Answer 22

Adverse reactions, sometimes it does go wrong!

Question 23

How many key areas and points does the European commission 5-year action plan have?

Answer 23

7 key areas

12 point plan

Question 24

What are the 7 key areas of the Europeans commission 5-year plan?

Answer 24

1. appropriate use of antimicrobials
2. preventing antimicrobial infections and their spread
3. new effective antimicrobials
4. cooperating to contain risks of AMR
5. improving monitoring and surveillance
6. Research and innovation
7. communication, education and training