Prescribing and labelling veterinary medicines are activities that every veterinary practitioner performs many times each day. It should be noted that these activities are subject to detailed legal provisions and in getting it wrong the veterinary surgeon is breaking the law.

Prescription writing
Before writing a prescription the prescriber should:

• Be satisfied that the person who will be administering the product is competent to do so safely, and intends to use it for a purpose for which it is authorized
• Advise on the safe administration of the product and on any warnings/contraindications stated on the label or package leaflet.

Only the minimum amount required for treatment should be prescribed, except when:

• The product prescribed is supplied in a container specified in the marketing authorization
• The manufacturer does not supply that veterinary medicinal product (VMP) in a smaller container, and the supplier is not a person authorized to break open the package before supply.

Who may write a prescription?

• Only a veterinary surgeon is legally permitted to write a prescription for a Controlled Drug or for a medicine classified as POM-V.
• Veterinary surgeons, pharmacists and suitably qualified persons (SQPs) can all write prescriptions for medicines classified as POM-VPS.
• No prescriptions are legally required for medicines classified as NFA-VPS or AVM-GSL, but this does not stop the veterinary surgeon from writing one if preferred.

Prescriptions may be oral or written, but in the case of written prescriptions the following information must be included indelibly:

• The name, address and telephone number of the person prescribing the medicine
• The qualifications of the person writing the prescription
• The name and address of the owner or keeper of the animal
• The identification (including the species) of the animal or group of animals to be treated
• The premises at which the animal(s) is kept if this differs from the address of the owner or keeper
• The date that the prescription is written
• The signature of the person writing the prescription
• The name and amount of the medicine prescribed
• The dosage and administration instructions
• Any necessary warnings.

Only a veterinary surgeon is legally allowed to prescribe a medicine in accordance with the cascade. In this case, the prescription must include a statement that states that: 

• The medicine is to be used under the prescribing cascade.

Prescriptions are valid for up to 6 months unless specified otherwise on the prescription.
The prescriber may specify that the prescription can be repeated. If the number of times that it may be repeated is not specified on the prescription, it may only be repeated once.

Controlled Drugs
In the case of Controlled Drugs, more regulations apply to prescription writing:

Note: prescriptions for Controlled Drugs no longer need to be handwritten

• The address of the prescriber must be in the UK
• The total quantity of the drug must be written in words and numbers
• The prescription must include a declaration that the animal(s) being treated is under the veterinary surgeon’s care.

It is recommended that no prescription should be written for more than 30 days’ supply of a medicine. Repeat prescriptions are not allowed for Schedule 2 or 3 drugs. Prescriptions for Controlled Drugs are only valid for 28 days.

For further information on writing a prescription, see the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary.

Dispensing
The person dispensing the prescription must also meet legal requirements:

• The person dispensing the prescription should check whether or not they are legally allowed to supply the medicine
• Only the product specified in the prescription may be supplied – no substitution is allowed
• The person dispensing the prescription must ensure that it has been written by the person named on the prescription and that that person has the necessary qualifications. A telephone call should be made to confirm these details if needed
• The person dispensing the prescription should ensure that the medicine is supplied to the person specified as the keeper/owner of the animal. Identification can be requested if required. This applies particularly with the supply of Controlled Drugs
• The person dispensing the prescription should check whether or not they are allowed to break the packaging containing a VMP.

Breaking packaging

• A veterinary surgeon or a person acting under their responsibility may open any package containing a VMP.
• A pharmacist may break open any package containing a VMP for the purposes of supply, other than the immediate packaging of an injectable medicine.
• An SQP may break open any package containing a VMP for the purposes of supply, other than the immediate packaging.

Labelling
If a medicine is supplied in the container provided by the manufacturer, all information on the label/packaging must remain readable. Changes may only be made by a veterinary surgeon or by a pharmacist acting on instructions contained in a prescription written by a veterinary surgeon, and even then all of the original information must still be readable.

If the medicine is intended for a condition and species listed on the datasheet there is no legal requirement for any additional label. However, it is the recommendation of the RCVS Professional Conduct Department that all supplied medicines should be labelled with the information listed below.

If a VMP is supplied in a container other than that specified in the marketing authorization (details can be found in the datasheet), then the person supplying the VMP must ensure that there is sufficient information for the medicine to be used safely. Under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR) 2008, this legal requirement may be met by writing the information on a label or by providing a copy of the package insert. However, it is the recommendation of the RCVS Professional Conduct Department that all supplied medicines should be labelled with the information listed below.

Only when using a medicine prescribed under the cascade is it legally necessary to attach a label, which must contain the following details:

• The name and address of the pharmacy, veterinary surgery or approved premises supplying the VMP
• The name of the veterinary surgeon who has prescribed the medicine
• The name and address of the animal’s owner
• The identification (including the species) of the animal or group of animals
• The date of supply
• The expiry date of the medicine (if applicable)
• The name or description of the medicine, which should include at least the name and quantity of the active ingredient(s)
• The dosage and administration instructions
• Any special storage precautions
• Any necessary warnings with reference to the user, target species, administration or disposal of the product
• The words ‘Keep out of reach of children’ and ‘For animal treatment only’. The words ‘For external use only’ for topical preparations.

Remote supply of medicines through online and direct mail ordering
Record keeping and audits