Guidelines for Prescribing, Authorising and Dispensing - Australian ...

Premix
A manufactured mixture of active ingredient(s) and carrier designed for direct
inclusion into the bulk ration of animals.
Prescribing
The act of specifying in writing a treatment and its use regimen. Only a
veterinarian may prescribe a prescription animal remedy.
Prescription
A prescription is a documented order to supply a PAR product when the product is
not supplied immediately by the prescribing veterinarian. It must be written and
contain all the information required by law and good veterinary practice. While the
form of a prescription may vary it must:
� be readily recognisable as a prescription;
� contain the essential information; and
� be legible and sufficiently clear and unambiguous to allow an approved person
to dispense or fill the prescription. Refer to Appendix 12 for a sample
prescription form.
Prescription animal remedy (PAR)
Veterinary medicines included in poisons Schedule 4 that may only be supplied to,
and must be prescribed by, a registered veterinarian in the practice of their
profession for the treatment of animals. Persons and businesses distributing,
wholesaling or retailing PARs must be licensed by the relevant state/territory health
department. Most antibiotics used therapeutically in animals are classified as
PARs (S4s).
Prophylactic use
The use of a veterinary medicine, by any route of administration, to prevent
infection with a pathogen(s) that is anticipated to challenge the animal(s) or cause
disease during the treatment period. That is, initiating treatment in advance of an
actual infection or disease condition because such a condition is expected to occur
if treatment is withheld.
Restraint (Label restraint)
An absolute prohibition printed on the label which can cover a range of issues.
Those prohibitions which appear under a “Restraint/s” heading apply to
veterinarians in all jurisdictions, and prohibit any ‘off-label’ use in contravention of
that statement. Other restraint statements (simply prefaced by “DO NOT …” etc.)
only apply in certain jurisdictions (Northern Territory, Queensland and Victoria) or
for treatment of food producing animals (New South Wales).
Therapeutic use
The use of veterinary medicines for the purpose of treating an existing disease
condition or injury.
AVA Prescribing and dispensing guidelines
Version 1.0 February 2005
Updated 02/09/08
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