Well then, first things first.  I attended recently a Pharmachem Committee Meeting.  Nothing unusual there you may think, he being a committee member and all that, except that I was congratulated on the birth of my sixteen month old son by the Honourable Member from Portumna whom I hadn't met since that fateful day.  Many of the others I had no recent recollections of either.  So, I thought calmly, a little bit of catching up to be done.  No problem, a light agenda, a bit of dessert, bit of a chat, break yourself back in gently  Yeah.  Some chance.  To say that these boys have been busy would be akin to saying army ants can be a little aggressive.  I don't know what G Barrett is on but I definitely want some.  For J McElwee refer back to those ants.  They're blind you know.  Can't see things in their way.  Go around, over, under or through.  Dammit, they can't even see what they are ... for, they just run over it by accident, catch it, kill it, rip it up and ferry it home for lunch.  Then head out for more. You get the picture.  Then there is the implacable and unflappable P Staunton.  Rumour has it he can make an army of ants think twice. I don't know (don't care to find out either).  Then the aforementioned Honourable Member, B Hayes.  Don't anyone labour under the illusion that setting out on a journey means you arrive at a destination -I reckon this guy leaves home every morning and arrives at five different
places all at the same time.  Yes sirreee - bi-location is last years news in Portumna. Seriously though, it is appropriate that the work of this Committee over the last 12-18 months should be recognised.  (It is also entirely appropriate that it should take an assence from the table for about the same time for this slow correspondent to appreciate this work).  It's a bit like a child growing up.  you don't notice when you see him every day, but a few months away and the difference can be staggering.  Such has been the progress, to my mind at any rate, made in the agonisingly slow area of legislation.  I know that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, but by comparison with the air of gloom I recall from the last time I met these guys, things have certainly taken a turn for the better.  Lots still to do but hey, lots less than last year.  Well done lads.  (For instance the article below is now out of date and the route recommended is greatly improved. - R.C.) Some interesting chat too.  A good rugby yarn that couldn't be repeated or the whole notion of touring teams could disappear for ever.  (That one courtesy of an old tourist).
It was also noted that an increasing amount of human medicine is being used for animals by our colleagues in the veterinary profession. Nothing wrong there you say.  me too.  I've even see a few prescriptions myself - Losac and Zantac in the recent past (no - not together).  And some times back Riplmahpicin and Erthromycin (yes - together). A number of thoughts occur at this point.  Firstly, if no veterinary equivalent exists, then no problem with human products.  but using augmentin for Synulox, Chloromycetin, Epanutin Betnovate or whatever when an equivalent does exist, poses some questions.  Personally I think they are pedantic, but I suspect  a quick dip into one or two legal TOMES might show a more serious side to the story.  I should also be noted that products not licensed for use in food producing animals will have no established MRL's (look it up) and therefore such an animal must be excluded from the food chain.  I think.  Food for thought anyway.
Finally, today I ordered a new computer from a nice girl in Dell.
(Her name is Tara).  Whenever this thing arrives I will be available
for e-chat or whatever.  I'm not doing this because I like it.  I enjoy technophobia.  But there is a feeling abroad, you may have noticed,
that this whole E - thing could be important (remember those ants?).
Anyway be like me, confront your demons, get hooked up and for Gods sake give Gerry Moen something to moan about - click on Pharmachem dot something and give him some stick. 
    Regards, Ian McGirr

IMB VACCINES
At a recent meeting for interested parties the Irish Medicines Board outlined the thinking of the European Legislators (EMEA) and the IMB on licensing of medicines and in particular vaccines.  These are by no means final but they are as follows:
Bovine and Ovine Respiratory Vaccines POM
Inactivated BVD Vaccines POM(E) Inactivated Clostridial Vaccines LM Inactivated Rotovirail, coronoviral and E-coli Vaccines for scours POM(E)
New Products POM
Companion Animal  POM
Avian Porcine and Fish POM
It will be several months before the process is completed. 

PET PROMOTIONS

Pharmacies continue to run pet promotions and anyone wishing to run one should contact Rory. This is a very big growth area and members continue to be surprised
at the return per square foot is brings to the pharmacy.  Dogs for window display are available from Boileau & Boyd and in response to increasing demand the Dogs for window display have been added to.
Running a promotion will:
bring a buzz to the shop
increase staff knowledge levels 
bring in the customers
increase the spend of current customers
add to the bottom line
reduce the risk of someone else capitalising on the market
Market Growth
We note that Bayer have almost doubled their sales through Boileau & Boyd in the year to date.

EU LEGISLATION:

The Precautionary Principle:
With much discussion about resistance and the risk of its occurrence
it might be of interest to members to highlight the Precautionary
Principle.
The Commission adopted a Communication on the use of the precautionary
principle in February.
The Precautionary principle forms part of a structural approach to
the analysis of risk, as well as being relevant to risk management.
It covers situations where scientific evaluation is insufficient,
inconclusive or uncertain and preliminary scientific evaluation indicates
that there are reasonable grounds for concern that potentially dangerous
effects on the environment, human, animal or plant health may be inconsistent
with similar measures already taken.  They should also be based on
an examination of the potential benefits and costs of action or lack
of action, and subject to review in the light of new scientific data.
Measures should be maintained as long as the scientific data remain
incomplete, imprecise and inconclusive and as long as the risk is
considered too high to be imposed on society.  Scientific findings
can bring about change.

WHAT ARE ANIMAL REMEDIES:

The definition of an "animal remedy" is very complicated and we can supply that data on request.  Words used in the encompassing definition include "claims to cure, alleviate or prevent disease ........clears, relieves, repairs, stops, protects, helps with, alleviates, controls, combats, counters, traditionally used for, strengthens the immune system, calms, aids in the healing of, helps maintain normal water balance, helps in the prevention of .........".  The purpose for which
administered is also taken into account.  All animal remedies require
a VPA on the pack.

Borderline Products:
If they contain antibiotics, anti-fungal agents, hormones, chloroform, anaesthetics and medicinal herbal substances - animal remedies.  If ingested, inhaled, injected or implanted - animal remedies.  If capsules, tablets, drenches premixes usually associated with medicines to which have been added e.g. vitamins, minerals, amino acids, zinc oxide and herbal ingredients - they will tend to be classified as animal remedies.

Herbals:
If these are exempted from VPA then they must be labelled "this is not a veterinary medicine subject to authorisation by the Irish Medicines Board".
Colostrum Products:

Pure colostrum and colostrum substitutes which do not make claims are not considered animal remedies and should be labelled "this is not veterinary medicine subject to authorisation by the Irish Medicines Board".
Homeopathic Medicines:

For those that are considered animal remedies, a special simplified registration procedure applies to products for non-food animals.