§ Lord Cope of Berkeleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to safeguard the health and welfare of horses and ponies not destined for human consumption, when pharmaceutical companies find that the costs of obtaining market authorisation make it uneconomic to produce drugs specifically for equines. [HL1687]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)Council Regulation 2377/90/EC requires the setting of maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the active ingredients of veterinary medicinal products used in food-producing species. This is a consumer protection measure. The companies concerned must provide the data needed to set an MRL and in some cases, as for example has happened for phenylbutazone, this may not be done. Under European law, the horse is classified as a food producing animal. However, we have been guided by a statement by European Commission officials that, if a horse is not destined for human consumption, maximum residue limits are not required and, in those circumstances, products like phenylbutazone can continue to be used. Products should be clearly labelled as not to be used on any horse that might be intended for human consumption.
As a further safeguard, the European Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products has developed a "minor species" policy which allows MRLs developed for major species such as cattle, sheep or pigs to be extended to horses and other species by providing relatively cheap comparative data. The objective is to ensure that a range of medicines will continue to be available for use in horses irrespective of whether or not they are intended for human consumption.
Officials of the European Commission are aware of the concerns the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe about the availability of medicines for the horse and it is expected that proposals they have made will be discussed in Brussels.