New Zealand's $250 million animal health industry could be at least 1% better off each year if its medicines were considered the same as human drugs.Manufacturers of animal medicines along with vets are calling for the drugs to be exempt from the Hazardou
New Zealand’s $250 million animal health industry could be at least 1% better off each year if its medicines were considered the same as human drugs.
Manufacturers of animal medicines along with vets are calling for the drugs to be exempt from the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO), currently being reviewed.
Human medicines have been exempt from HSNO rules for nine years.
New Zealand Veterinary Association spokesman Wayne Ricketts said it was time animal medicines were granted the same exemption.
“It makes no sense at all for animal medicines to be more rigorously regulated than human medicines, especially when many are identical,” he said.
For example, the Quinolone antibiotic family requires Environmental Risk Management Authority (EMRA) approval for small dose while the similar and much strong human version does not.
He said animal medicines were already well regulated under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medcines Act.
“We have felt for a long time now that the requirement for ERMA approval is over regulation.” Dr Ricketts said.
Federated Farmers has echoed the plea. HSNO spokesman Phil York said an exemption would be in line with the government’s desire to remove regulatory requirements that are unnecessary and costly to both the industry and users.
Agcarm chief executive Graeme Peters, who represents manufacturers, sais New Zealand’s hazardous substance rules were based on the United Nations classification and labelling framework, the Globally Harmonised System which was written to cover the use, transport and disposal of chemicals.
He said it was no intended to cover human and animal medicines.
