15 Mar 2022
Animal Health Distributors Association, which represents SQPs, will use data from its 300 animal medicines distributors and plans compulsory CPD on resistance among other ideas.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
The Animal Health Distributors Association has set out a number of action points to improve animal health and welfare through managing resistance.
A new campaign to enhance the responsible prescribing of POM-VPS animal medicine products has been launched to tackle the issue of anthelmintic resistance (AMR).
Launched internally to registered animal medicines advisors (RAMAs, the alternative name for SQPs) at the start of March, the campaign by the Animal Health Distributors Association (AHDA) will draw on exclusive data from its network of 300 animal medicines distributor companies to outline action plans to make improvements.
Initially triggered by AMR in lambs, it has now been broadened to include endoparasites, ectoparasites and vaccines across all species receiving POM-VPS medicines.
Bryan Lovegrove, AHDA secretary general, said: “A number of key industry groups and organisations are well aware of the challenge that anthelmintic resistance poses to farmers and the wider sheep industry, and have already put in place policies and procedures to manage it.
“However, we feel this is an industry challenge that needs closer attention and awareness, so over the past six months AHDA has been focused on a project of work that has been initially looking at anthelmintic resistance and now more broadly at enhancing responsible prescribing.
“Quite simply, more work needs to be done to make a difference, or the sector is going to be in a difficult position when it comes to anthelmintic resistance. And in our position, with the collective power and influence of our members, and the support of other key organisations in the industry, we are driving this forward.”
AHDA has set out action points to improve animal health and welfare through managing AMR, focusing on five key areas:
Mr Lovegrove added: “We have carried out some initial research, obtaining information on the number of doses of different anthelmintics sold on to farm in 2020.
“By looking at the current status of the industry and then its desired destination, we have set out a number of action points – some of which need to be introduced sooner – with other actions and changes to be introduced over the longer term.”
