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United Kingdom Statutory Instruments


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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2006 No. 2407

MEDICINES

The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006

  Made 5th September 2006 
  Laid before Parliament 8th September 2006 
  Coming into force 1st October 2006 


CONTENTS


PART 1

Introduction
1. Title and commencement
2. Definition of "veterinary medicinal product", interpretation and scope
3. Products to which these Regulations do not apply

PART 2

Authorised veterinary medicinal products
4. Placing a veterinary medicinal product on the market
5. Manufacture of veterinary medicinal products
6. The finished product
7. Classification, supply and possession of the product
8. Administration of the product
9. Importation of authorised veterinary medicinal products
10. Advertising the product
11. Advertising of prescription products and products containingpsychotropic drugs or narcotics
12. Defence of publication in the course of business
13. Wholesale dealing
14. Feedingstuffs
15. Exemptions
16. Fees

PART 3

Records
17. Food-producing animals: proof of purchase of veterinary medicinal products
18. Food-producing animals: records of administration by a veterinary surgeon
19. Food-producing animals: records of acquisition and administration
20. Food-producing animals: retention of records
21. Records by a holder of a manufacturing authorisation
22. Records by a holder of a wholesale dealer's authorisation
23. Records of the receipt or supply of prescription products
24. Records of products administered to a food-producing animal under the cascade

PART 4

Unauthorised veterinary medicinal products
25. Importation of an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product
26. Possession of an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product
27. Supply of an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product

PART 5

Miscellaneous provisions, enforcement and offences
28. The Veterinary Products Committee
29. Procedure for suspending, etc. a marketing authorisation or animal test certificate
30. Duties on the Secretary of State relating to exports
31. Time limits
32. Appointment of inspectors
33. Powers of entry
34. Powers of an inspector
35. Inspection of pharmacies
36. Obstruction
37. Improvement notices
38. Appeals against improvement notices
39. Powers of a court on appeal
40. Seizure notices
41. Publication of notices
42. Penalties
43. Northern Ireland
44. Revocations and amendments

  SCHEDULE 1— Marketing authorisations
 PART 1— Application for a marketing authorisation
 PART 2— Derogations from some of the requirements in Part 1
 PART 3— Grant of a marketing authorisation
 PART 4— Variations of marketing authorisations on the application of theholder
 PART 5— Suspension, etc. of a marketing authorisation
 PART 6— Mutual recognition and multiple applications
 PART 7— Labelling and package leaflets
 PART 8— Pharmacovigilance
 PART 9— Homeopathic remedies

  SCHEDULE 2— The manufacture of veterinary medicinal products
 PART 1— Manufacturing authorisation
 PART 2— Authorisation of manufacturers of autogenous vaccines
 PART 3— Authorisation of blood banks
 PART 4— Authorisation of manufacturers of products for administration under the cascade

  SCHEDULE 3— Classification and supply, wholesale dealers and sheep dip
 PART 1— Classification and supply of authorised veterinary medicinal products
 PART 2— Requirements for a wholesale dealer's authorisation
 PART 3— Sheep dip

  SCHEDULE 4— Administration of a veterinary medicinal product outside the terms of a marketing authorisation

  SCHEDULE 5— Medicated feedingstuffs and specified feed additives

  SCHEDULE 6— Exemptions for small pet animals

  SCHEDULE 7— Fees
 PART 1— Introduction
 PART 2— Fees relating to marketing authorisations
 PART 3— Fees payable by manufacturers
 PART 4— Fees relating to a wholesale dealer's authorisation
 PART 5— Fees relating to feedingstuffs
 PART 6— General

  SCHEDULE 8— Amendments to the Medicines Acts etc.
 PART 1— Consequential amendments to the Medicines Acts 1968 and 1971
 PART 2— Consequential amendments to secondary legislation

  SCHEDULE 9— Other consequential amendments
 PART 1— Consequential amendments to primary legislation
 PART 2— Consequential revocations of and amendments to secondary legislation

The Secretary of State is a Minister designated[
1] for the purposes of making Regulations under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972[2] in relation to measures in the veterinary and phytosanitary fields for the protection of public health.

     He has carried out the consultation required by Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the general principles of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety[3].

     In accordance with section 56(1) of the Finance Act 1973[4], the Treasury consent to the making of these Regulations.

     The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 and by section 56(1) of the Finance Act 1973.

PART 1

Introduction

Title and commencement
     1. These Regulations may be cited as the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006 and come into force on 1st October 2006.

Definition of "veterinary medicinal product", interpretation and scope
    
2. —(1) In these Regulations "veterinary medicinal product" means—

    (2) In addition—

    (3) In these Regulations any reference to a member State is a reference to a member State of the European Union and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

    (4) For the avoidance of doubt, these Regulations apply to all veterinary medicinal products irrespective of whether or not there is other legislation controlling a product.

Products to which these Regulations do not apply
     3. —(1) These Regulations do not apply to a veterinary medicinal product based on radio-active isotopes.

    (2) They do not apply in relation to the administration of a product in the course of a procedure licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedure) Act 1986[
6], except that, if the animals used under that licence are to be put into the human food chain, the product must be administered in accordance with an animal test certificate granted under regulation 8(2).

PART 2

Authorised veterinary medicinal products

Placing a veterinary medicinal product on the market
     4. —(1) It is an offence to place a veterinary medicinal product on the market unless that product has been granted a marketing authorisation by the Secretary of State or the Agency.

    (2) Any person who certifies data in relation to an application for a marketing authorisation or in relation to an existing marketing authorisation and who knows that those data are false, or does not believe that they are accurate, is guilty of an offence.

    (3) Schedule 1 (marketing authorisations) has effect.

Manufacture of veterinary medicinal products
    
5. —(1) The holder of a marketing authorisation must ensure that every stage in the manufacture of the veterinary medicinal product is carried out by the manufacturer specified in the marketing authorisation (who must, if the manufacture is carried out in the United Kingdom, hold a manufacturing authorisation for that type of product granted by the Secretary of State) and failure to do so is an offence.

    (2) Schedule 2 (the manufacture of veterinary medicinal products) has effect.

    (3) "Manufacture" includes any part of the manufacture of a veterinary medicinal product until the finished product is ready for sale in its final form as specified in the marketing authorisation but does not include the manufacture of an ingredient.

    (4) However—

The finished product
    
6. The holder of a marketing authorisation for a veterinary medicinal product is guilty of an offence if he or the manufacturer supplies a product that is not completely in accordance with the marketing authorisation.

Classification, supply and possession of the product
    
7. —(1) Schedule 3 (classification and supply, wholesale dealers and sheep dip) has effect.

    (2) Any person who supplies a veterinary medicinal product that has passed its expiry date is guilty of an offence.

    (3) Any person who supplies a medicinal product authorised for human use for administration to an animal (other than in accordance with a prescription from a veterinary surgeon that specifically states that the medicinal product is for administration under the cascade, either by that veterinary surgeon or under his direction and responsibility) is guilty of an offence.

    (4) Any person in possession of a veterinary medicinal product that was supplied to him other than in accordance with Schedule 3 is guilty of an offence.

Administration of the product
    
8. —(1) It is an offence to administer a veterinary medicinal product to an animal unless—

    (2) This regulation does not apply in the case of a product administered for research purposes in accordance with a certificate ("an animal test certificate") granted for the purpose by the Secretary of State.

    (3) The Secretary of State may suspend or revoke an animal test certificate if this is necessary for reasons of animal or human health.

Importation of authorised veterinary medicinal products
    
9. —(1) It is an offence to import a veterinary medicinal product authorised for use in the United Kingdom except in accordance with this regulation.

    (2) A holder of a marketing authorisation may import a veterinary medicinal product for which he holds the marketing authorisation.

    (3) A holder of a manufacturing authorisation may import a veterinary medicinal product to which his authorisation relates.

    (4) An authorised wholesale dealer may import a veterinary medicinal product if—

    (5) A veterinary surgeon or a pharmacist may import any authorised veterinary medicinal product.

    (6) A suitably qualified person (in accordance with paragraph 13 of Schedule 3) may import any authorised veterinary medicinal product that he is permitted to supply.

    (7) There are no restrictions on the importation of an authorised veterinary medicinal product in category AVM-GSL.

Advertising the product
    
10. —(1) It is an offence to advertise a veterinary medicinal product if the advertisement is misleading or contains any medicinal claim that is not in the summary of product characteristics.

    (2) It is an offence to advertise a human medicine for administration to animals (including sending a price list of or including human medicines to a veterinary surgeon or veterinary practice).

    (3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to the holder of a wholesale dealer's authorisation who supplies a list of human medicines, together with prices, to a veterinary surgeon for use under the cascade provided that—

Advertising of prescription products and products containing psychotropic drugs or narcotics
    
11. —(1) It is an offence to advertise a veterinary medicinal product that—

    (2) In the case of a product containing psychotropic drugs or narcotics, this does not apply to advertisements aimed at veterinary surgeons or pharmacists.

    (3) In the case of POM-V medicines, this does not apply to price lists, or to advertisements aimed at veterinary surgeons, pharmacists or professional keepers of animals.

    (4) In the case of POM-VPS medicines, this does not apply to price lists, or to advertisements aimed at—

Defence of publication in the course of business
    
12. In proceedings for an offence under these Regulations relating to advertising, it is a defence for the person charged to prove—

Wholesale dealing
    
13. It is an offence to buy a veterinary medicinal product, other than by retail or for the purposes of retail supply in accordance with Schedule 3, unless the buyer has a wholesale dealer's authorisation granted by the Secretary of State under this regulation and Schedule 3.

Feedingstuffs
    
14. Schedule 5 (medicated feedingstuffs and specified feed additives) has effect.

Exemptions
    
15. —(1) These Regulations do not apply to an inactivated autogenous vaccine that is manufactured, on the instructions of a veterinary surgeon, from pathogens or antigens obtained from an animal and used for the treatment of that animal.

    (2) Schedule 1 and Part 1 of Schedule 2 do not apply in relation to an inactivated autogenous vaccine that is—

    (3) They do not apply to blood from a blood bank authorised in accordance with Part 3 of Schedule 2, nor to a product manufactured for administration under the cascade by a person and in premises authorised under Part 4 of Schedule 2.

    (4) Schedule 6 (exemptions for small pet animals) has effect.

Fees
    
16. Schedule 7 (fees) has effect.



PART 3

Records

Food-producing animals: proof of purchase of veterinary medicinal products
    
17. —(1) The keeper of a food-producing animal must keep proof of purchase of all veterinary medicinal products (or, if he did not buy them, documentary evidence of how he acquired them) acquired for the animal.

    (2) It is an offence to fail to comply with this regulation.

Food-producing animals: records of administration by a veterinary surgeon
    
18. —(1) If a veterinary surgeon administers a veterinary medicinal product to a food-producing animal he must either enter the following information himself in the keeper's records or give it to the keeper in writing (in which case the keeper must enter the following into his records)—

    (2) It is an offence to fail to comply with this regulation.

Food-producing animals: records of acquisition and administration
    
19. —(1) When a veterinary medicinal product is bought or otherwise acquired for a food-producing animal the keeper must, at the time, record—

    (2) At the time of administration (unless the administration is by a veterinary surgeon in which case the record must be in accordance with regulation 18) he must record—

    (3) If he disposes of any or all of the veterinary medicinal product other than by treating an animal, he must record—

    (4) It is an offence to fail to comply with this regulation.

Food-producing animals: retention of records
    
20. —(1) The keeper of a food-producing animal must keep the documentation on the acquisition of a veterinary medicinal product and the records relating to the product for at least five years following the administration or other disposal of the product, irrespective of whether or not the animal concerned is no longer in his possession or has been slaughtered or has died during that period.

    (2) It is an offence to fail to comply with this regulation.

Records by a holder of a manufacturing authorisation
    
21. —(1) A holder of a manufacturing authorisation must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, make a record of each batch of veterinary medicinal product manufactured, assembled or supplied by him, which must include—

    (2) He must keep with the record all certification provided by the qualified person (manufacture) in relation to that batch.

    (3) He must keep all records and certificates for at least five years from the date the veterinary medicinal product is placed on the market.

    (4) It is an offence to fail to comply with this regulation.

Records by a holder of a wholesale dealer's authorisation
    
22. —(1) A holder of a wholesale dealer's authorisation must record the following as soon as is reasonably practicable after each incoming or outgoing transaction (including disposal) relating to a veterinary medicinal product—

    (2) He must keep the records for at least three years.

    (3) It is an offence to fail to comply with this regulation.

Records of the receipt or supply of prescription products
    
23. —(1) When any person permitted under these Regulations to supply a veterinary medicinal product classified as POM-V or POM-VPS receives or supplies any such veterinary medicinal product he must keep all documents relating to the transaction, which must include—

    (2) If the documents do not include this information he must make a record of the missing information as soon as is reasonably practicable following the transaction.

    (3) As an alternative to paragraphs (1) and (2) he may make a record of all the information required there provided that he does so as soon as is reasonably practicable following the transaction.

    (4) He must keep the documentation and records for at least five years.

    (5) It is an offence to fail to comply with this regulation.

Records of products administered to a food-producing animal under the cascade
    
24. —(1) A veterinary surgeon administering a veterinary medicinal product to a food-producing animal under the cascade, or permitting another person to administer it under his responsibility, must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, record—

    (2) He must keep the record for at least five years.

    (3) It is an offence to fail to comply with this regulation.

PART 4

Unauthorised veterinary medicinal products

Importation of an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product
    
25. —(1) It is an offence to import an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product except in accordance with this regulation.

    (2) A marketing authorisation holder may import an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product if it is for the purpose of the manufacture of a veterinary medicinal product for which he holds the marketing authorisation.

    (3) A holder of a manufacturing authorisation may import an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product if it is for the manufacture of a veterinary medicinal product that he is permitted to manufacture.

    (4) A holder of a wholesale dealer's authorisation may import an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product for the purposes of re-export.

    (5) A veterinary surgeon may import an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product that is authorised in another member State if it is for the purpose of administration by him or under his supervision under the cascade or administration in exceptional circumstances in accordance with Schedule 4; the import must be in accordance with the appropriate certificate granted by the Secretary of State, and the product may be imported by the veterinary surgeon himself or by using a wholesale dealer or pharmacist as his agent.

    (6) A wholesale dealer or a pharmacist may import an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product for the purpose of storing it pending administration by a veterinary surgeon under the cascade or administration in exceptional circumstances in accordance with Schedule 4 if—

Possession of an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product
    
26. —(1) It is an offence to be in possession of an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product.

    (2) This regulation does not apply to—

    (3) It is a defence for a person charged under paragraph (1) to prove that he was in possession of the veterinary medicinal product for the purposes of research or development of a veterinary medicinal product.

Supply of an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product
    
27. —(1) It is an offence to supply an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product.

    (2) This regulation does not apply to—

    (3) It is a defence for a person charged under paragraph (1) to prove that he supplied the veterinary medicinal product for the purposes of research or development of a veterinary medicinal product.



PART 5

Miscellaneous provisions, enforcement and offences

The Veterinary Products Committee
    
28. —(1) There shall continue to be a Veterinary Products Committee.

    (2) The Secretary of State shall appoint members of the Committee from professional people who are eminent in their field, and any lay members as he shall see fit.

    (3) The function of the Committee is to provide scientific advice on any aspect of veterinary medicinal products asked for by the Secretary of State and to carry out any functions specified in these Regulations.

    (4) The Secretary of State may pay members of the Committee such amounts as he may decide.

    (5) The Secretary of State may consult the Committee at any time.

Procedure for suspending, etc. a marketing authorisation or animal test certificate
    
29. —(1) If the Secretary of State suspends a marketing authorisation or an animal test certificate, he must notify the holder immediately, and, unless he directs otherwise, the suspension has immediate effect, and continues in effect until any appeals process under this regulation is completed.

    (2) If the suspension is on the grounds of safety, quality or efficacy, the holder may give notice within 28 days that he wishes to make representations to the Veterinary Products Committee.

    (3) The Committee must consider those representations.

    (4) The representations may be written or oral, but may not include any data not available to the Secretary of State at the time of the suspension.

    (5) The Committee shall report in writing to the Secretary of State.

    (6) If the appellant so requests, the Secretary of State shall give him a copy of the report.

    (7) The Secretary of State shall give to the appellant written notification of his proposed determination and the reasons for it.

    (8) A person may then make representations concerning the Secretary of State's proposed determination to a person appointed for the purpose by the Secretary of State.

    (9) The appointed person shall consider the representations (but shall not consider any data not available to the Secretary of State at the time of the suspension) and report in writing, with a recommended course of action, to the Secretary of State.

    (10) The Secretary of State shall give written notification of his final determination and the reasons for it.

    (11) If the Secretary of State, on the grounds of safety, quality or efficacy, intends to—

he shall notify the applicant or holder of his intention.

    (12) The applicant or holder may within 28 days of the notification give notice that he wishes to make representations to the Veterinary Products Committee concerning the notice, and the procedure governing suspension shall then apply in the same way as it applies to suspension, except that a variation or revocation shall not take effect until the Secretary of State has made a final determination.

Duties on the Secretary of State relating to exports
    
30. —(1) At the request of any person exporting a veterinary medicinal product to a third country, or the competent authorities of a third country to which a veterinary medicinal product is to be exported, the Secretary of State shall provide a certificate that the veterinary medicinal product was manufactured in accordance with the marketing authorisation, if there is one, and, if there is no marketing authorisation, that the manufacturer holds a manufacturing authorisation for that type of product.

    (2) When he issues the certificate the Secretary of State shall take account of the model certificates issued by the World Health Organization[
7].

    (3) If the veterinary medicinal product is authorised in the United Kingdom the Secretary of State shall ensure that the exporter or the competent authorities of the third country has access to the summary of product characteristics.

Time limits
     31. —(1) In any provision in these Regulations requiring the Secretary of State to issue an authorisation within a set time, the clock does not start until the Secretary of State has checked that the application dossier is in accordance with these Regulations and has validated the application.

    (2) The clock is stopped during any period that the Secretary of State requires an applicant to provide further data until all the further data required have been provided.

    (3) The clock is also stopped during any period that the applicant is given to provide oral or written explanations.

    (4) The Secretary of State may stop the clock pending payment of outstanding fees.

Appointment of inspectors
    
32. The Secretary of State shall appoint inspectors for the purposes of the enforcement of these Regulations.

Powers of entry
    
33. —(1) An inspector may, on producing a duly authenticated document showing his authority if required, enter any premises at any reasonable hour for the purpose of ensuring that the provisions of these Regulations are being complied with; and in this regulation "premises" includes any place, any vehicle or trailer, any container, any stall or moveable structure, and any ship or aircraft.

    (2) He may take with him—

    (3) Admission to any premises used only as a private dwellinghouse shall not be demanded as of right unless 24 hours notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier, or the entry is in accordance with a warrant granted under this regulation.

    (4) If a justice of the peace, on sworn information in writing, is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for entry into any premises for the purposes of the enforcement of these Regulations, and either—

the justice may by warrant signed by him authorise the inspector to enter the premises, if need be by reasonable force.

    (5) A warrant under this section is valid for one month.

    (6) If an inspector enters any unoccupied premises he must leave them as effectively secured against unauthorised entry as he found them.

    (7) He may enter the premises of manufacturers of active substances used as starting materials for veterinary medicinal products, and of the premises of the marketing authorisation holder.

    (8) He may carry out an inspection at the request of another member State, the European Commission or the Agency.

    (9) In this regulation, a reference to a justice of the peace—

Powers of an inspector
    
34. —(1) An inspector entering premises under the previous regulation may—

    (2) An officer of any local authority who has entered premises exercising any statutory power of entry for the purposes of enforcing any legislation relating to food hygiene, feed hygiene or animal health, may inspect any records made under these Regulations (in whatever form they are held) relating to food-producing animals, and may remove them to enable them to be copied.

Inspection of pharmacies
    
35. In relation to a pharmacy, all the powers of an inspector to enforce these Regulations may also be exercised by an officer of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland appointed for the purpose.

Obstruction
    
36. Any person who—

is guilty of an offence.

Improvement notices
    
37. —(1) If an inspector has reasonable grounds for believing that any person is failing to comply with these Regulations he may serve a notice on that person (in these Regulations referred to as an "improvement notice") that—

    (2) It is an offence to fail to comply with an improvement notice.

Appeals against improvement notices
    
38. —(1) Any person who is aggrieved by an improvement notice may appeal to a magistrates' court or, in Scotland, to the sheriff.

    (2) The procedure on an appeal to a magistrates' court under paragraph (1) is by way of complaint, and the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980[
8] applies to the proceedings.

    (3) An appeal to the sheriff under paragraph (1) is by summary application.

    (4) The period within which an appeal may be brought is 28 days or the period specified in the improvement notice, whichever ends the earlier.

    (5) An improvement notice must state—

    (6) A court may suspend an improvement notice pending an appeal.

Powers of a court on appeal
     39. On an appeal against an improvement notice, the court may either cancel the notice or confirm it, with or without modification.

Seizure notices
    
40. —(1) An inspector must follow the procedures set out in this regulation if, acting under regulation 34, he seizes—

    (2) He shall give to the person appearing to him to be in charge of the veterinary medicinal product a notice (referred to in these Regulations as a "seizure notice")—

    (3) If an inspector is not able to remove products seized under this regulation immediately, he may mark the products in any way that he sees fit, and serve a notice on the person in charge of the products identifying them, and prohibiting the removal of the products from the premises until they are collected by an inspector, and any person other than an inspector who removes products identified under this paragraph from the premises is guilty of an offence.

    (4) Any person claiming that the product was not liable to seizure may, within 28 days of the seizure, notify his claim to the Secretary of State at the address specified in the seizure notice, setting out the grounds in full.

    (5) If a notification of a claim is not received within 28 days the Secretary of State shall destroy the product.

    (6) If a notification of a claim is received within 28 days, the Secretary of State shall either return the goods or take proceedings for an order for the confirmation of the notice and the destruction of the veterinary medicinal product in a magistrates' court (or, in Scotland, the sheriff court), and if the court confirms the notice it shall order its destruction.

    (7) The person on whom the seizure notice was served is liable for the costs of destruction.

    (8) This regulation applies to additives, premixtures and feedingstuffs specified in Schedule 5 in the same way as it applies to veterinary medicinal products.

Publication of notices
    
41. The Secretary of State shall publicise improvement notices and seizure notices as he sees fit.

Penalties
    
42. —(1) A person guilty of an offence under these Regulations is liable—

    (2) Where a body corporate is guilty of an offence under these Regulations, and that offence is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to have been attributable to any neglect on the part of—

he is guilty of the offence as well as the body corporate.

    (3) For the purposes of paragraph (2) above, "director", in relation to a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members, means a member of the body corporate.

    (4) Where an offence that has been committed by a Scottish partnership is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, a partner, he as well as the partnership is guilty of the offence.

Northern Ireland
    
43. —(1) This regulation has effect in relation to Northern Ireland.

    (2) The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development or the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (or both Departments acting jointly) instead of the Secretary of State shall exercise the powers of the Secretary of State in—

    (3) The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is the competent authority for—

    (4) In proceedings in a magistrates' court relating to an improvement notice under regulation 38 or a seizure notice under regulation 40 the Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981[13] applies.

Revocations and amendments
     44. —(1) The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2005[14] are revoked.

    (2) Schedule 8 (amendments to the Medicines Acts etc.) has effect.

    (3) Schedule 9 (consequential amendments) has effect.

    (4) The Medicines (Prohibition of Importation and Possession of Veterinary Drugs) Order (Northern Ireland) 1977[15] continues in force notwithstanding paragraph (2), and the Medicines Act 1968 continues to apply as if it had not been amended by these Regulations in so far as is necessary for the operation of that Order.


Ben Bradshaw
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

8th August 2006


Kevin Brennan

Claire Ward
Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury

5th September 2006



SCHEDULE 1
Regulation 4(3)


MARKETING AUTHORISATIONS




CONTENTS


PART 1

Application for a marketing authorisation
1. Application for a marketing authorisation
2. Information with the application
3. Summary of product characteristics
4. Supply of a copy of the summary of product characteristics
5. Time limits for applications for products for use in food-producing animals

PART 2

Derogations from some of the requirements in Part 1
6. Scope
7. Bibliographic application
8. Application for a product using a new combination of active substances
9. Application using existing data
10. Application for a pharmacologically equivalent medicinal product
11. Time limits for marketing authorisations granted under the procedure for a pharmacologically equivalent product
12. Extension of time limits
13. Parallel imports
14. Specific batch control scheme
15. Similar immunological products
16. Marketing in exceptional circumstances

PART 3

Grant of a marketing authorisation
17. Time limits
18. Place of establishment of applicant
19. Procedure
20. Products authorised in another member State
21. Assessment reports
22. Grant of a marketing authorisation
23. Marketing authorisations for food-producing species
24. Refusal of a marketing authorisation
25. Publication following the grant of a marketing authorisation
26. Provisional marketing authorisation
27. Provisions of samples and expertise
28. Supply of information
29. Duties on the holder of a marketing authorisation relating to an immunological product
30. Control tests
31. Placing on the market
32. Duration and validity of a marketing authorisation

PART 4

Variations of marketing authorisations on the application of the holder
33. Variation of a marketing authorisation for a mutually recognised veterinary medicinal product
34. Variation of a marketing authorisation not authorised in another member State
35. Administrative variations
36. Changes after a marketing authorisation has been issued
37. Compulsory variation

PART 5

Suspension, etc. of a marketing authorisation
38. Suspension, etc. of a marketing authorisation
39. Suspension, etc. of a marketing authorisation of a product authorised in more than one member State
40. Prohibiting the supply of veterinary medicinal products

PART 6

Mutual recognition and multiple applications
41. Application for a marketing authorisation where one already exists in another member State
42. Application in another member State
43. Application for a marketing authorisation in multiple member States where a marketing authorisation does not exist in any member State

PART 7

Labelling and package leaflets
44. Approval by the Secretary of State
45. Reference to being authorised
46. Language
47. Labelling with all the information on the immediate packaging
48. Products with immediate and outer packaging
49. Package leaflets
50. Ampoules
51. Small containers other than ampoules
52. Homeopathic remedies
53. Variations

PART 8

Pharmacovigilance
54. Qualified persons responsible for pharmacovigilance
55. Duties relating to the qualified person
56. Adverse reactions to a veterinary medicinal product administered in the United Kingdom
57. Adverse reactions to a veterinary medicinal product administered in a third country
58. Periodic safety update reports
59. Release of information by the marketing authorisation holder
60. Action taken on account of pharmacovigilance

PART 9

Homeopathic remedies
61. Meaning of "homeopathic remedy"
62. Placing a homeopathic remedy on the market in accordance with a registration
63. Application for registration
64. Procedure for registration
65. Products on the market before 1994
66. Classification


PART 1

Application for a marketing authorisation

Application for a marketing authorisation
     1. An application under these Regulations for a marketing authorisation for a veterinary medicinal product shall be made to the Secretary of State.

Information with the application
     2. —(1) An application must include all necessary administrative information, and all scientific documentation necessary for demonstrating the safety, quality and efficacy of the product.

    (2) In particular, the applicant must provide all the data required in Annex I to Directive 2001/82/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Community code relating to veterinary medicinal products[
16], generated in accordance with that Annex.

    (3) The application shall contain the following information—

    (4) All documents relating to the results of tests or trials must be accompanied by a detailed and critical expert report that has been drafted and signed by a person with the requisite technical or professional qualifications and that has a brief curriculum vitae of the person signing the report attached to it.

    (5) In the case of immunological products, the applicant must submit a description of the methods used to establish that the manufacturing process will consistently produce a veterinary medicinal product that is in accordance with the marketing authorisation.

Summary of product characteristics
     3. The summary of product characteristics required under the preceding paragraph shall include the following information, set out in the same format—

Summary of product characteristics
1 Name of the veterinary medicinal product, including its strength and pharmaceutical form.
2 The name and proportion of each active substance, and of any excipient if knowledge of the excipient is needed for safety reasons.
3 Pharmaceutical form.
4 Clinical particulars—
4.1 target species;

4.2 indications for use, specifying the target species;

4.3 contra-indications;

4.4 special warnings for each target species;

4.5 special precautions for use, including special precautions to be taken by the person administering the medicinal product to the animals;

4.6 adverse reactions (frequency and seriousness);

4.7 use during pregnancy, lactation or lay;

4.8 interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction;

4.9 amounts to be administered and administration route;

4.10 overdose (symptoms, emergency procedures, antidotes) if necessary;

4.11 withdrawal periods for the various foodstuffs, including those for which the withdrawal period is zero.

5 Pharmacological properties—
5.1 pharmacodynamic properties;

5.2 pharmacokinetic particulars.

6 Pharmaceutical particulars—
6.1 list of excipients;

6.2 major incompatibilities;

6.3 shelf life, when necessary after reconstitution of the medicinal product or when the immediate packaging is opened for the first time;

6.4 special precautions for storage;

6.5 nature and contents of immediate packaging;

6.6 special precautions for the disposal of unused veterinary medicinal products or waste materials derived from the use of such products, if appropriate.

7 Marketing authorisation holder.
8 Marketing authorisation number.
9 Date of the first authorisation or date of renewal of the authorisation.
10 Date of any revision of the text.
11 Any other information required by the Secretary of State.

Supply of a copy of the summary of product characteristics
     4. A holder of a marketing authorisation must supply a copy of the summary of product characteristics to any person on demand.

Time limits for applications for products for use in food-producing animals
     5. In the case of a veterinary medicinal product for food-producing animals (including food-producing horses), a marketing authorisation may not be applied for until at least six months after a valid application has been made for the establishment of a maximum residue limit in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2377/90.



PART 2

Derogations from some of the requirements in Part 1

Scope
     6. This Part provides for applications for marketing authorisations in which not all the information required in Part 1 is required, but for the avoidance of doubt any applicant may apply for a marketing authorisation using Part 1 if he wishes to do so.

Bibliographic application
     7. —(1) An applicant for a marketing authorisation need not provide the results of safety tests, residue tests, pre-clinical trials or clinical trials if the active substance of the veterinary medicinal product has been in an authorised veterinary medicinal product for that species in the Community for at least ten years, and the applicant provides appropriate scientific literature to demonstrate this.

    (2) He may use any publicly available document.

    (3) If an applicant makes use of scientific literature to obtain authorisation for a food-producing species, and submits, in respect of the same medicinal product and with a view to obtaining authorisation for another food-producing species, new residue studies, together with further clinical trials, a third party may not use those studies or trials in an application for a pharmacologically equivalent product for a period of three years from the grant of the authorisation for the additional species.

Application for a product using a new combination of active substances
     8. If an application is for a veterinary medicinal product containing active substances already used in an authorised veterinary medicinal product but not previously used in that combination in a veterinary medicinal product, he need not provide the safety and efficacy data for the individual active substances.

Application using existing data
     9. If the Secretary of State has granted a marketing authorisation, the holder may permit him to use data submitted in support of that marketing authorisation when assessing an application for another marketing authorisation.

Application for a pharmacologically equivalent medicinal product
     10. —(1) An applicant need not provide the results of safety tests, residue tests, pre-clinical trials or clinical trials if he can demonstrate that the veterinary medicinal product is pharmacologically equivalent to a veterinary medicinal product already authorised in the Community.

    (2) For the purposes of this paragraph a product is pharmacologically equivalent to an existing product if—

    (3) For the purposes of this paragraph—

    (4) Different immediate-release oral pharmaceutical forms are regarded as the same pharmaceutical form.

    (5) Bioavailability studies are not required if the bioequivalence guidelines produced by the Agency exempt the product.

    (6) In the case of a reference product authorised in another member State but not in the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State must be satisfied that the risk-benefit balance of the original product is appropriate for the product to be placed on the market in the United Kingdom, and if the data provided under Article 13, third paragraph of Directive 2001/82/EC by the member State in which the product is authorised are insufficient for him to be satisfied of this, he may notify the applicant and require the applicant to provide further data.

Time limits for marketing authorisations granted under the procedure for a pharmacologically equivalent product
     11. —(1) This paragraph establishes the time limits relating to granting a marketing authorisation under the procedure for a pharmacologically equivalent product.

    (2) An application for a marketing authorisation cannot be made until two years before the product may be placed on the market in accordance with this paragraph.

    (3) The product shall not be placed on the market until ten years (or, in the case of medicinal products for fish or bees where the application for a marketing authorisation was submitted after 30th October 2005, thirteen years) have elapsed from the initial authorisation of the reference product.

    (4) Time limits in this paragraph shall be calculated from the first grant of the marketing authorisation for the reference product.

Extension of time limits
     12. —(1) This paragraph applies in relation to veterinary medicinal products that—

    (2) If a person submits an application for a marketing authorisation for a product on or after 30th October 2005, and within 5 years of the original marketing authorisation being granted, the marketing authorisation is extended to include additional food-producing species, the ten-year period provided for in paragraph 11 shall be extended by one year for each additional food-producing species added to the marketing authorisation.

    (3) The total period shall not exceed 13 years.

    (4) The extension applies only if the marketing authorisation holder originally applied for determination of the maximum residue limits for the active substance.

Parallel imports
     13. —(1) The Secretary of State may grant a marketing authorisation in relation to a veterinary medicinal product authorised in another member State and imported into the United Kingdom from that member State in accordance with this paragraph without the data required in Part 1 if the applicant can demonstrate compliance with this paragraph.

    (2) If the product is for a food-producing species it must be identical to a product authorised in the United Kingdom.

    (3) Other products must be therapeutically the same as a product authorised in the United Kingdom unless the importer can justify any differences.

    (4) The member State from which it is imported must have authorised the product in accordance with Directive 2001/82/EC.

    (5) The applicant must be established within the Community.

    (6) The applicant must hold (or have a contract with the holder of) a wholesale dealer's authorisation in the United Kingdom appropriate to the type of product to be imported.

    (7) If re-labelling is to take place in the United Kingdom the applicant must also be (or have a contract with) the holder of a suitable manufacturing authorisation in the United Kingdom.

Specific batch control scheme
     14. —(1) Where a veterinary medicinal product (other than a biological veterinary medicinal product) has been granted a marketing authorisation or an animal test certificate, and any starting material (active substance, excipient or packaging) or any batch of the product does not fully meet the requirements of the authorisation or animal test certificate, the holder may apply to the Secretary of State to place one or more batches on the market notwithstanding this.

    (2) The Secretary of State may authorise the placing on the market if he is satisfied that the safety, quality and efficacy of the product are not compromised, and that in all the circumstances of the case the product should be placed on the market.

    (3) This paragraph does not apply in relation to a product recognised in more than one member State.

    (4) In this paragraph a biological veterinary medicinal product is a veterinary medicinal product, the active substance of which is a biological substance; and a biological substance is a substance that is produced by or extracted from a biological source and for which a combination of physico-chemical-biological testing and the production process and its control is needed for its characterisation and the determination of its quality.

Similar immunological products
     15. Where an immunological veterinary medicinal product is pharmacologically equivalent to a reference product other than differences in raw materials or in the manufacturing process, the results of the appropriate pre-clinical tests or clinical trials must be provided, but the applicant need not provide the results of safety tests or residue tests.

Marketing in exceptional circumstances
     16. Where the health situation so requires, the Secretary of State may authorise the placing on the market of a veterinary medicinal product that has been authorised by another member State or, if there is no such authorised product, authorised in a third country.



PART 3

Grant of a marketing authorisation

Time limits
     17. The Secretary of State shall ensure that the procedure for granting a marketing authorisation for a veterinary medicinal product is completed within a maximum of 210 days after the submission of the application.

Place of establishment of applicant
     18. Only an applicant established in a member State may be granted a marketing authorisation.

Procedure
     19. The Secretary of State may require the applicant to provide additional information or to generate additional data, including laboratory testing, or may require the applicant to provide samples of any medicinal product, its starting materials and intermediate products or other constituent materials so that he can test them in a laboratory.

Products authorised in another member State
     20. Where the Secretary of State is informed or discovers that another member State has authorised a veterinary medicinal product that is the subject of an application for authorisation by the Secretary of State, he shall reject the application unless it was submitted in accordance with the mutual recognition procedure or the decentralised procedure in Part 6.

Assessment reports
     21. The Secretary of State shall produce an assessment of the dossier, consisting of an evaluation of the results of the pharmaceutical, safety and residue tests and the pre-clinical and clinical trials of the veterinary medicinal product concerned, and any additional related information.

Grant of a marketing authorisation
     22. When granting a marketing authorisation, the Secretary of State shall inform the applicant of the summary of product characteristics that he has approved, and the distribution category of the product.

Marketing authorisations for food-producing species
     23. —(1) The Secretary of State shall not grant a marketing authorisation for a veterinary medicinal product for food-producing species unless all its pharmacologically active substances appear in Annex I, II or III to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2377/90.

    (2) This shall not apply in the case of a marketing authorisation for a veterinary medicinal product for administration to a horse that has been declared as not intended for slaughter for human consumption in accordance with—

but the product must not include an active substance that appears in Annex IV to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2377/90 and must not be intended for the treatment of a condition for which a veterinary medicinal product is already authorised for horses.

    (3) In this paragraph "horse" includes any member of the equidae family.

Refusal of a marketing authorisation
     24. —(1) The Secretary of State shall refuse to grant a marketing authorisation if the application does not comply with these Regulations.

    (2) In addition, he shall refuse to grant it if—

    (3) The Secretary of State may refuse a marketing authorisation—

Publication following the grant of a marketing authorisation
     25. —(1) When he grants a marketing authorisation the Secretary of State shall publish—

    (2) He shall update the assessment report whenever new information that is of importance and relates to the quality, safety or efficacy of the veterinary medicinal product becomes available.

    (3) He shall send a copy of the assessment report, and any update, to the holder of the marketing authorisation before he publishes it to enable the holder to make representations to him concerning any confidential or personal information that may be in it, and may specify a date by which representations must be made.

Provisional marketing authorisation
     26. —(1) In exceptional circumstances, the Secretary of State may grant a provisional marketing authorisation subject to a requirement for the applicant to provide further data.

    (2) The Secretary of State shall reassess the authorisation annually.

Provisions of samples and expertise
     27. —(1) The Secretary of State may require a marketing authorisation holder to provide, at any time and at any stage of the manufacturing process, samples of starting materials or the veterinary medicinal product for testing.

    (2) At the request of the Secretary of State, the marketing authorisation holder must provide his technical expertise to facilitate any analysis of the product.

    (3) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph or a requirement under it.

Supply of information
     28. —(1) A marketing authorisation holder must immediately inform the Secretary of State if he receives any new information that might adversely affect the risk-benefit balance of the veterinary medicinal product.

    (2) He must immediately inform the Secretary of State of any prohibition or restriction imposed by the competent authorities of any country in which the veterinary medicinal product is authorised.

    (3) The Secretary of State may at any time require the marketing authorisation holder to provide data relating to the risk-benefit balance.

    (4) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph or a requirement under it.

Duties on the holder of a marketing authorisation relating to an immunological product
     29. —(1) The holder of a marketing authorisation for an immunological product must submit to the Secretary of State the results of all tests carried out on each batch of the product at least fifteen days before he places the product on the market.

    (2) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph.

Control tests
     30. —(1) The holder of a marketing authorisation must give to the Secretary of State on demand evidence that he has carried out all control tests required under the marketing authorisation, and the results of those tests.

    (2) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph.

Placing on the market
     31. —(1) When a holder of a marketing authorisation first places the veterinary medicinal product on the market in the United Kingdom he must notify the Secretary of State that he has done so, and the date on which it was placed on the market.

    (2) If he removes the veterinary medicinal product from the market in the United Kingdom, he must notify the Secretary of State at least two months (or a shorter period in exceptional circumstances) before he does so.

    (3) Upon request by the Secretary of State, the marketing authorisation holder must provide him with—

    (4) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph.

Duration and validity of a marketing authorisation
     32. —(1) A marketing authorisation is initially valid for five years.

    (2) The authorisation may be renewed after five years on the basis of a re-evaluation of the risk-benefit balance.

    (3) An application for renewal must be made at least six months, and not more than nine months, before the marketing authorisation ceases to be valid.

    (4) When he applies for the renewal of the marketing authorisation the applicant must enclose a list of all documents concerning the product that he has submitted to the Secretary of State since the marketing authorisation was granted.

    (5) The Secretary of State may require the applicant to provide a copy of any of the listed documents at any time.

    (6) Once renewed, the marketing authorisation is valid indefinitely unless, within five years of the renewal, the Secretary of State notifies the holder, on justified grounds relating to pharmacovigilance, that the authorisation will cease to be valid five years from the first renewal unless the holder applies for a further renewal.

    (7) The further renewal is not time-limited.

    (8) Any marketing authorisation granted under these Regulations that is not followed within three years of its granting by the actual placing on the market of the authorised veterinary medicinal product in the United Kingdom ceases to be valid.

    (9) When a veterinary medicinal product authorised under these Regulations and previously placed on the market in the United Kingdom is not present on the market in the United Kingdom for a period of three consecutive years, its marketing authorisation ceases to be valid.

    (10) The Secretary of State may, on human or animal health grounds, grant exemptions from sub-paragraphs (8) and (9).



PART 4

Variations of marketing authorisations on the application of the holder

Variation of a marketing authorisation for a mutually recognised veterinary medicinal product
     33. Where a veterinary medicinal product is authorised in more than one member State, the Secretary of State is the competent authority for the purposes of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1084/2003 (concerning the examination of variations to the terms of a marketing authorisation for medicinal products for human use and veterinary medicinal products granted by a competent authority of a member State)[
22].

Variation of a marketing authorisation not authorised in another member State
     34. —(1) Where a veterinary medicinal product is not authorised in another member State, an application to vary it shall be made by the holder to the Secretary of State.

    (2) Paragraph 24 of this Schedule (refusal of a marketing authorisation) applies to an application for a variation in the same way as it applies to an application for a marketing authorisation.

    (3) In granting a variation of a veterinary medicinal product the Secretary of State shall (unless there are exceptional circumstances necessary to protect human or animal health or the environment) specify transitional measures to enable products produced in accordance with the previous authorisation to continue to be marketed for the transitional period.

Administrative variations
     35. —(1) The holder of a marketing authorisation may apply for a minor change in a marketing authorisation to be made without the Secretary of State considering any scientific data (an "administrative variation").

    (2) If the Secretary of State grants an administrative variation, and subsequently establishes that this should have been a variation requiring consideration of scientific data, he shall notify the marketing authorisation holder, require him to submit an application for a variation enabling data to be assessed and revoke the administrative variation.

Changes after a marketing authorisation has been issued
     36. After a marketing authorisation has been issued, the holder must take account of scientific and technical progress in manufacturing and control methods, and apply to the Secretary of State for any variation in the marketing authorisation that may be required to enable that veterinary medicinal product to be manufactured and checked by means of generally accepted scientific methods.

Compulsory variation
     37. —(1) If the Secretary of State decides, in order to protect human or animal heath or the environment, that a variation to a marketing authorisation is necessary, he shall notify the marketing authorisation holder in writing of the required variation, together with his reasons.

    (2) In the notification he may specify a time limit within which the marketing authorisation holder must apply for the variation.

    (3) If the marketing authorisation holder fails to apply within that time limit the Secretary of State may suspend or revoke the marketing authorisation.



PART 5

Suspension, etc. of a marketing authorisation

Suspension, etc. of a marketing authorisation
     38. —(1) The Secretary of State may suspend, vary or revoke a marketing authorisation at any time if he is satisfied that—

    (2) He must suspend, vary or revoke a marketing authorisation if he is satisfied that—

    (3) He may also suspend, vary or revoke a marketing authorisation if he is satisfied that a marketing authorisation holder has failed to make an application for a variation to take account of scientific and technical progress in manufacturing and control methods to enable a veterinary medicinal product to be manufactured and checked by means of generally accepted scientific methods.

    (4) When he suspends, varies or revokes a marketing authorisation, the Secretary of State may additionally prohibit the supply of a veterinary medicinal product, and if necessary require the marketing authorisation holder to recall the product; and failure to comply with a requirement or prohibition under this sub-paragraph is an offence.

    (5) He shall publicise a revocation in such manner as he sees fit.

Suspension, etc. of a marketing authorisation of a product authorised in more than one member State
     39. —(1) In the case of a veterinary medicinal product that is authorised in more than one member State, where the Secretary of State considers that a variation, suspension or revocation is necessary for the protection of human or animal health or the environment, he shall immediately refer the matter to the Agency, and shall comply with a decision of the Commission within 30 days of the decision.

    (2) Where the Secretary of State considers that immediate suspension is necessary to protect human or animal health or the environment, he may suspend the marketing and the use of the veterinary medicinal product concerned in the United Kingdom pending a decision of the Agency, and in this case he shall inform the Commission and the other member States no later than the following working day of the reasons for his action.

Prohibiting the supply of veterinary medicinal products
     40. —(1) In addition to his powers to suspend a marketing authorisation, if he is satisfied that a product has not been manufactured in accordance with the marketing authorisation the Secretary of State may prohibit the supply of a veterinary medicinal product, and if necessary require the marketing authorisation holder to recall it, and failure to comply with a requirement or prohibition under this sub-paragraph is an offence.

    (2) He may confine the prohibition on supply and the requirement for recall to specific production batches.

    (3) In the case of an immunological veterinary medicinal product manufactured outside the United Kingdom, if a batch has had all the tests that were originally carried out by the manufacturer repeated by the competent authority of another member State, the Secretary of State may not prohibit the release of that batch if all the results have been submitted to him and the results demonstrate that the product is within the terms of the authorisation.



PART 6

Mutual recognition and multiple applications

Application for a marketing authorisation where one already exists in another member State
     41. —(1) If a veterinary medicinal product has already received a marketing authorisation in another member State at the time of application, and the holder of the marketing authorisation applies for a marketing authorisation in the United Kingdom, the following procedure ("the mutual recognition procedure") applies.

    (2) The applicant must submit to the Secretary of State a dossier identical to the one submitted to the competent authority of the member State in which the veterinary medicinal product has been authorised ("the reference member State").

    (3) If there is a marketing authorisation current in more than one member State the applicant must identify which member State is acting as the reference member State.

    (4) If the applicant is applying in more than one member State he must supply the Secretary of State with a list of all the States in which he is applying.

    (5) The Secretary of State shall obtain an assessment report from the reference member State and, if the application is made under paragraph 7 (bibliographic applications) or paragraph 10 (applications for pharmacologically equivalent products), ask for the report to include an explanation of any extension of the protection period generated under paragraph 11 or 12.

    (6) Within 90 days after receipt of the assessment report, the Secretary of State must, subject to the following provisions, either—

    (7) He may only refuse an application on the grounds of serious risk to human or animal health or the environment.

    (8) If he approves the assessment report, the summary of product characteristics, the labelling and the package leaflet he shall ensure that he is in a position to decide whether or not to grant a marketing authorisation within 30 days of approving them.

    (9) If the Secretary of State is notified by the reference member State that—

the Secretary of State shall within 30 days comply with the decision of the coordination group or, if the coordination group refers the matter to the Agency, the decision of the Commission.

    (10) The Secretary of State may grant the marketing authorisation even though not all member States have agreed to grant it, but shall revoke or vary the authorisation if this is necessary to comply with the decision of the Commission when it is received.

Application in another member State
     42. —(1) When the Secretary of State has granted a marketing authorisation for a veterinary medicinal product and he is notified by the marketing authorisation holder that he has applied to have that veterinary medicinal product authorised in another member State, he shall prepare an assessment report for the product within 90 days of the notification and send it to the member State or States concerned.

    (2) If the other member State (or, if there is more than one, all of them) agrees with the assessment report, the summary of product characteristics, the labelling and the package leaflet he need take no further action.

    (3) If not all the other member States concerned so agree within a further 90 days he shall send a detailed statement setting out why they have disagreed to the other member States, the applicant and the coordination group for action in accordance with Article 33(3) of Directive 2001/82/EC.

    (4) The Secretary of State shall within 30 days comply with the decision of the coordination group or, if the coordination group refers the matter to the Agency, the decision of the Commission.

Application for a marketing authorisation in multiple member States where a marketing authorisation does not exist in any member State
     43. —(1) If an applicant wishes to apply for a marketing authorisation in more than one member State, and a marketing authorisation does not exist in any member State for the product ("the decentralised procedure"), he must—

    (2) If the United Kingdom is the reference member State, the Secretary of State shall prepare a draft assessment report and drafts of the summary of product characteristics, labelling and package leaflet within 120 days of the receipt of a valid application and shall send them to the other concerned member States and to the applicant.

    (3) If the United Kingdom is not the reference member State, within 90 days after receipt of the assessment report and drafts of the summary of product characteristics, labelling and package leaflet from the reference member State, the Secretary of State shall, subject to the following provisions, either—

    (4) He shall only refuse an application on the grounds of serious risk to human or animal health or the environment.

    (5) If all the member States involved agree the assessment report, the summary of product characteristics, the labelling and the package leaflet within 90 days, the Secretary of State shall ensure that he is in a position to decide whether or not to grant a marketing authorisation within 30 days.

    (6) If, within 90 days, not all the member States have agreed the assessment report, summary of product characteristics, labelling and package leaflet on grounds of a potential serious risk to human or animal health or to the environment, the Secretary of State (if the United Kingdom is the reference member State) shall send a detailed statement of the reasons to the other member States involved in the application, the applicant, and the coordination group to act in accordance with Article 33(3) of Directive 2001/82/EC.

    (7) If reference has been made to the coordination group by any member State, the Secretary of State shall within 30 days comply with the decision of the coordination group or, if the coordination group refers the matter to the Agency, the decision of the Commission.

    (8) If the Secretary of State wishes to do so, he may grant the marketing authorisation even though not all member States have agreed to grant it, but shall revoke or vary the authorisation if this is necessary to comply with the decision of the Commission when it is received.



PART 7

Labelling and package leaflets

Approval by the Secretary of State
     44. When the Secretary of State issues the marketing authorisation he shall approve all containers, packaging, labels and package leaflets.

Reference to being authorised
     45. A label and package leaflet of an authorised veterinary medicinal product may contain in legible characters the words "UK authorised veterinary medicinal product" or, if the marketing authorisation provides, other wording specified in the authorisation indicating that the product is authorised in the United Kingdom.

Language
     46. —(1) All labels and package leaflets must be in English, but may contain other languages provided that the information given is identical in all the languages.

    (2) This requirement does not apply in the case of a product imported by a veterinary surgeon and administered by or under the supervision of that same veterinary surgeon.

Labelling with all the information on the immediate packaging
     47. —(1) If it is reasonably practicable to do so, the following must be provided on the immediate packaging, in legible characters—

    (2) If all this is on the immediate packaging, there is no need for any outer packaging or a package leaflet.

Products with immediate and outer packaging
     48. —(1) If it is not reasonably practicable to have all the information on the immediate packaging then this paragraph applies.

    (2) The immediate packaging must have at least the following information—

    (3) In addition, the immediate packaging must have as much of the information in paragraph 47 as is reasonably practicable, in the order set out in that paragraph.

    (4) The outer packaging must contain all the information in paragraph 47 if it is reasonably practicable to do this, and if it is not reasonably practicable to do this a package leaflet must be supplied with the product in accordance with the following paragraph.

Package leaflets
     49. —(1) If it is not reasonably practicable to have all the information in paragraph 47 on the immediate packaging or all of this information on the outer packaging, there must be a package leaflet supplied with the product, containing all the information in paragraph 47 except for the batch number and the expiry date, and including the name of both the marketing authorisation holder and, if different, the name of the distributor named in the marketing authorisation.

    (2) If there is a package leaflet, the immediate packaging and the outer packaging must both refer the user to it.

    (3) A package leaflet shall relate solely to the veterinary medicinal product with which it is included.

    (4) It must be written in terms that are comprehensible to the general public.

    (5) Only a package leaflet approved in the marketing authorisation may be included with the veterinary medicinal product.

Ampoules
     50. —(1) In the case of ampoules or other unit dose forms, where the container cannot bear legibly the required information, only the following information must be shown on the immediate packaging—

    (2) The outer packaging must contain all the information in paragraph 47 if it is reasonably practicable to do this, and if it is not reasonably practicable to do this a package leaflet must be supplied with the product, except that the ampoule need not refer to the package leaflet.

Small containers other than ampoules
     51. As regards small immediate packaging containing a single dose, other than ampoules, on which it is impossible to give the particulars mentioned in paragraph 47, all the information in paragraph 47 must appear on the outer packaging or outer packaging and package leaflet, but the immediate packaging must be labelled with the batch number and the expiry date and, if there is room, the other information in the preceding paragraph.

Homeopathic remedies
     52. —(1) A homeopathic remedy registered under these Regulations must be labelled in accordance with this paragraph.

    (2) There must be no specific therapeutic indication on the labelling or in any information relating to it.

    (3) The labelling (or labelling and package leaflet) must contain the following and no other information—

Variations
     53. The Secretary of State may permit variations in the above in any individual marketing authorisation if this is necessary for public or animal health purposes or the protection of the environment.



PART 8

Pharmacovigilance

Qualified persons responsible for pharmacovigilance
     54. —(1) A marketing authorisation holder must have permanently and continuously at his disposal an appropriately qualified person responsible for pharmacovigilance ("a qualified person (pharmacovigilance)") who resides in a member State.

    (2) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph.

Duties relating to the qualified person
     55. —(1) The marketing authorisation holder must ensure that the qualified person (pharmacovigilance)—

    (2) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph.

Adverse reactions to a veterinary medicinal product administered in the United Kingdom
     56. —(1) A marketing authorisation holder must act in accordance with this paragraph if he learns of any suspected—

following the administration of the product in the United Kingdom.

    (2) He must make a record of what happened.

    (3) He must without delay and in any event within 15 days report it (electronically if this is practicable) to the Secretary of State.

    (4) In addition, he must supply to the Secretary of State all relevant veterinary pharmacovigilance information in his possession relating to the reaction, giving a full description of the incident and a list of all the symptoms using internationally recognised veterinary and medical terminology[
23], either with the report or, if the information becomes available after the report has been sent, as soon after it becomes available as is reasonably practicable.

    (5) In this and the following paragraph—

    (6) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph.

Adverse reactions to a veterinary medicinal product administered in a third country
     57. —(1) A marketing authorisation holder for a veterinary medicinal product authorised in the United Kingdom must act in accordance with this paragraph if he learns of any suspected—

following the administration of the product in a third country.

    (2) He must make a record of what happened.

    (3) He must without delay and in any event within 15 days report the suspected reaction or transmission (electronically if this is practicable) to the Secretary of State, the competent authorities of all member States in which the product is authorised, and the Agency.

    (4) In addition to the report, he must supply to the Secretary of State, the competent authorities of all other member States where the product is authorised and the Agency, the information required under paragraph 56(4) in the manner set out in that paragraph.

    (5) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph.

Periodic safety update reports
     58. —(1) The marketing authorisation holder must submit to the Secretary of State records of all adverse reactions (including nil reports) in the form of a periodic safety update report for each marketing authorisation in accordance with this paragraph, including a summary of each incident and a list of all the symptoms using internationally recognised veterinary and medical terminology.

    (2) If the marketing authorisation holder has not yet placed a product on the market in the United Kingdom, he must submit a periodic safety update report immediately upon request of the Secretary of State and at least every six months after authorisation.

    (3) Following the placing on the market in the United Kingdom, the marketing authorisation holder must submit a periodic safety update report to the Secretary of State immediately upon request and—

    (4) Following the granting of a marketing authorisation, the marketing authorisation holder may apply to the Secretary of State to change the periods of notification.

    (5) The periodic safety update report must include a scientific evaluation of the risk benefit balance of the veterinary medicinal product.

    (6) The periodic safety update report must include—

    (7) If the product is indicated for more than one species, the information in sub-paragraph (6) must be based so far as is practicable on the estimated use of the product.

    (8) Data relating to different formulations (either different dosage forms or different strengths) must be provided in separate reports.

    (9) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph.

Release of information by the marketing authorisation holder
     59. —(1) A marketing authorisation holder must not communicate information relating to pharmacovigilance concerns to the general public in relation to its authorised veterinary medicinal product without giving prior or simultaneous notification to the Secretary of State.

    (2) The marketing authorisation holder must ensure that such information is presented objectively and is not misleading.

    (3) It is an offence to fail to comply with this paragraph.

Action taken on account of pharmacovigilance
     60. —(1) Where, as a result of the evaluation of veterinary pharmacovigilance data, the Secretary of State considers that a marketing authorisation should be—

he shall forthwith inform the Agency, all other member States (irrespective of whether the product is authorised in another member State) and the marketing authorisation holder.


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