A number of aquatic retailers and wholesalers may be unknowingly selling illegal fish disease treatments based on antibiotics, Practical Fishkeeping can exclusively reveal.
Several fish disease medications and medicated fish foods currently offered for sale by wholesalers and aquatic retailers contain an antibiotic constituent called nifurpirinol.
Nifurpirinol is a nitrofuran antibiotic and has been illegal to sell in the UK without a veterinary prescription for many years.
At least seven products based on the active ingredient are currently on sale in the UK.
Companies selling the products risk a hefty fine or prison sentence if they are found guilty of selling the medicines illegally.
Risking prosecution
Veterinary medicines sold in the UK must be authorised for sale by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, but a wide range of products sold for treating diseases in aquarium fishes have been made exempt under the Small Animal Exemption Scheme in Schedule 6 of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006.
Antibiotics, such as nifurpirinol, are not among them and the medicines have been illegal to sell in the UK without a veterinary prescription for a considerable length of time.
The introduction of the Small Animal Exemption Scheme may have led some suppliers to believe that they could now sell the antibiotics legally.
Simon Hack, Head of the Enforcement Team at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), told Practical Fishkeeping:
"Antibiotics are not included under the Schedule 6 Small Animal Exemption Scheme. The sale of such products under this Scheme is illegal."
The VMD considers antibiotics to be veterinary medicines that require veterinary control, so they are not legal to sell without a prescription.
Hack explained: "Seizure Notices issued in accordance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006 allow us to remove these products from the market, with a view to destroying them. Our aim is get these products off the market. There is an appeals procedure with regards the issue of these Notices.
"In the case of antibiotics sold under the Schedule 6 banner, there is no recourse to appeal. Such products require a marketing authorization, and do not fall within the Scheme. We actively pursue cases of illegal marketing, sale and use of veterinary medicines, and have had a number of successful prosecutions resulting in thousands of pounds worth of fines."
for more go to http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=1135
Several fish disease medications and medicated fish foods currently offered for sale by wholesalers and aquatic retailers contain an antibiotic constituent called nifurpirinol.
Nifurpirinol is a nitrofuran antibiotic and has been illegal to sell in the UK without a veterinary prescription for many years.
At least seven products based on the active ingredient are currently on sale in the UK.
Companies selling the products risk a hefty fine or prison sentence if they are found guilty of selling the medicines illegally.
Risking prosecution
Veterinary medicines sold in the UK must be authorised for sale by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, but a wide range of products sold for treating diseases in aquarium fishes have been made exempt under the Small Animal Exemption Scheme in Schedule 6 of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006.
Antibiotics, such as nifurpirinol, are not among them and the medicines have been illegal to sell in the UK without a veterinary prescription for a considerable length of time.
The introduction of the Small Animal Exemption Scheme may have led some suppliers to believe that they could now sell the antibiotics legally.
Simon Hack, Head of the Enforcement Team at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), told Practical Fishkeeping:
"Antibiotics are not included under the Schedule 6 Small Animal Exemption Scheme. The sale of such products under this Scheme is illegal."
The VMD considers antibiotics to be veterinary medicines that require veterinary control, so they are not legal to sell without a prescription.
Hack explained: "Seizure Notices issued in accordance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006 allow us to remove these products from the market, with a view to destroying them. Our aim is get these products off the market. There is an appeals procedure with regards the issue of these Notices.
"In the case of antibiotics sold under the Schedule 6 banner, there is no recourse to appeal. Such products require a marketing authorization, and do not fall within the Scheme. We actively pursue cases of illegal marketing, sale and use of veterinary medicines, and have had a number of successful prosecutions resulting in thousands of pounds worth of fines."
for more go to http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=1135
