Medicines Act 1981 Medicines regulations 1984 Human medicines

Human Medicine  Are vets allowed to prescribe human medicine which are not licensed animal remedies?  Yes but this is “off licence” use.

Human Medicine  The medicines act and regulations only apply to human medicines.  Vets may prescribe and dispense human drugs for animals under their care.  If using human medicines they must stick to the provisions of the medicines act and regulations.

Storage of medicines  Prescription or restricted medicine must not be put:  where food or drink are stored or kept for ready use,  or any place to which young children or unauthorised persons have ready access.

Packing and preparing of medicines  Packing and preparing of medicines must not:  Be in any room, or on any table or bench, that is used for the purpose of packing, preparing, or consuming any food or drink.

Storage and delivery of medicines  Prescription or restricted medicine must not left in an unattended building or vehicle  unless the building or vehicle is secured against unlawful entry  or the part of it in which the medicine is kept.

Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 Misuse of Drugs

Drugs of abuse  Is designed to stop people abusing addictive drugs or drugs with potential for abuse.

 Vets are allowed to supply, prescribe and administer Class B or C controlled drugs.  Class A: LSD, heroin, cocaine, etorphine.  Class B: opioids eg morphine.  Class C: barbiturates, buprenorphine, benzodiazepines, ketamine.

 Controlled drugs must be secured (locked up) when not in use.  Secured means locked in a metal or concrete cabinet secured (bolted down) to the building and keys kept elsewhere.

 Class B drugs must have usage recorded.  Registers must at each branch Class B stored or used.  Properly bound book, not a ringbinder or folder.  Only for the purpose of recording the controlled drugs.  Kept for two years after the last entry.

 Class B drugs register:  Each drug should have its own page or section.  Pages must be numbered.  Date order,  Entries made within 24 hours of the drug being used.  Written in indelible ink.  No entry may be altered or removed. Corrections are in the margin or at the foot of the page. No correction fluid or erasing etc.

 Class B drugs register:  Records:  the purchase,  use, including details of:  date used,  quantity,  patient and  owner.  The person administering the drug (a vet) should countersign the entry.  disposal  and stock on hand of all Class B drugs