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

� appropriate withholding period/s (meat, milk, eggs etc as appropriate), and
export slaughter intervals;
[This information should also be provided for an unregistered product (as permitted
in a particular jurisdiction) or a product to be used ‘off-label’.]
The label or advice note must be handed to the owner or representative of the
owner at the time of treatment; or if neither the owner nor representative is in
attendance, should be left in a safe and conspicuous place at the premises where
the treatment has been administered. It is advisable to check later that the advice
note has been received.
If a veterinarian is prescribing or authorising ‘off-label’ use (but not using or
supplying the chemical) or is providing an authorisation for adding a drug to stock
feed, an appropriate advice note, such as the Order for Medicated Feed (Appendix
10), containing all the necessary details above, must be provided – see section 25.
Veterinarians cannot use, prescribe, authorise or supply any veterinary chemical
for use contrary to a restraint statement (except for single animals – see below).
Label restraints appear under a heading of “Restraint/s” and are usually worded
“DO NOT…” or “…MUST…” or “…ONLY…”. In the Northern Territory, Queensland
and Victoria all statements worded as restraints, whether under the heading or not,
must be complied with in the same way. In South Australia individual product
restraint statements are included in State regulations. In Victoria a specific Order
covers use of streptomycin in export stock.
The use of unregistered products on companion animals, and supply of
unregistered products for companion animals, are less restricted – see section
22.5.
In general, based on agreed national principles for controls over the use of
veterinary chemicals, veterinarians may treat a single food-producing animal with
an unregistered product, or supply a quantity of the product sufficient to treat only a
single animal. Full written instructions, as for advice notes above, must be
supplied.
Use of lay assistants
In some circumstances (intensive production industries, single-person practices,
etc.) it might be necessary for a veterinarian to employ an assistant to help
dispense drugs, for example in applying labels, packing for dispatch or physically
handling large amounts of a chemical. This must only happen under the direct
supervision of the veterinarian, that is they should be in the same room or in the
immediate vicinity. Also, the veterinarian must ensure that any person working in
this capacity is fully trained and competent.
On occasions it might be necessary to send drugs by post or courier. The
labelling, packaging, addressing and dispatch are an integral part of the dispensing
process and also should be closely supervised by the veterinarian. Wherever
possible, receipt of the drugs should be confirmed and recorded.
AVA Prescribing and dispensing guidelines
Version 1.0 February 2005
Updated 02/09/08
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