From January 2021 - Changes to the cascade for vets in Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI)

The VMD has published guidance to prescribing veterinary surgeons explaining the changes to the cascade from 1 January 2021. Below are the key points:

Vets in Great Britain:

Veterinary medicines authorised in other countries now sit higher up the cascade and are on the same rung as UK authorised human medicines. This means that a veterinary medicine authorised in any country is eligible for import for use under the cascade, after the preferred option of a veterinary medicine authorised in the UK.

GB vets must look to products authorised in the UK in the first instance. If there is a product authorised in NI but not authorised in GB or UK wide, you will need to apply for a Special Import Certificate in order to legally obtain that product for use under the cascade.

The VMD’s Product Information Database will show the territory for which a veterinary medicine is authorised as ‘Great Britain’, ‘Northern Ireland’ or ‘United Kingdom’. It is expected that the PID updates will be available by the end of January 2021.

Vets in Northern Ireland:

From January 2021, there will be changes to the cascade vets in NI should follow. The Northern Ireland Protocol (the Protocol) provides for NI to remain subject to EU legislation and the cascade which applies to vets in NI will remain as now. However, NI vets must consider GB as a third country and therefore products only authorised for the GB market sit within the last option. Preferential consideration must be given to veterinary medicines authorised in the EU over those products authorised on a GB only basis.

The VMD will continue to administer the Special Import Scheme for NI.

Issued: 14 December 2020.

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