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Veterinary Medication
Information
Introduction
These days, there is growing concern about the indiscriminate, abusive or incorrect use of veterinary medications in animals for slaughter and also regarding the presence of medication residues in food, as they may pose a serious risk for public health
This circumstance has prompted a greater surveillance of food of animal origin, live animals and holdings, greater control of the prescription of veterinary medications, the initiation of administrative actions, judicial proceedings, etc.
Actions of the Regional Government of Bizkaia
In this respect, the Regional Government of Bizkaia implements a series of actions aimed at:
- Detecting any illegal treatment.
- Ensuring that veterinary medication residues as well as the maximum levels of pesticides and environmental contaminants meet the maximum residue levels established in the current legislation.
- Examining and revealing the reasons for the presence of such residues.
These actions comprise:
- The National Residue Investigation Plan (PNIR).
- The Raw Milk Quality Control Programme.
- The Control of the use of veterinary prescriptions and a log book of veterinary treatments.
Legislative Framework for Veterinary Medication and Residues Thereof
Community Regulations
- Regulation (EC) No. 2377/90 of 26 June 1990. Community procedure for the establishment of maximum residue limits of veterinary medicinal products in foodstuffs of animal origin (OJ L 224).
- Regulation (EC) No. 466/2001 of 8 March 2001. Maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs. (OJ L 77).
- Directive 86/363/EC setting maximum levels for pesticide residues in foodstuffs of animal origin. (OJ L 221).
- Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996 on measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products. (OJ L 125)
- Decision No. 98/179/EC of 23 February 1998. Official sampling for the monitoring of certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products. (OJ L 65).
State Regulations
- Act 14/1986 of 25 April 1986. General Health Act (Official Spanish Gazette issue no. 101 of 29 April 1986).
- Act 25/1990 of 20 December 1990. Medicinal Products Act (Official Spanish Gazette issue no. 306 of 22 December 1990).
- Act 8/2003 of 24 April 2003. Animal Health Act (Official Spanish Gazette issue no. 99 of 25 April 2003).
- Royal Decree 1945/1983 of 22 June 1983, regulating Infringements and Sanctions with regard to consumer’s defence and agro-food production (Official Spanish Gazette issue no. 168, of 15 July 1983).
- Royal Decree 109/1995 of 27 January 1995, on veterinary medicinal products (Official Spanish Gazette issue no. 53 of 3 March 1995).
- Royal Decree 157/1995 of 3 February 1995, laying down the conditions for the preparation, marketing and usage of medicated feed (Official Spanish Gazette issue no. 64 of 16 March 1995).
- Royal Decree 1749/1998 of 31 July 1998, laying down measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products (Official Spanish Gazette issue no. 188 of 7 August 1998).
- Real Decreto 2178/2004, de 12 de noviembre, por el que se prohíbe utilizar determinadas sustancias de efecto hormonal y tireostático y sustancias betaagonistas de uso en la cría de ganado (BOE Nº 274, de 13 de noviembre de 2004).
- Repeals Royal Decree 1373/1997 of 29 August 1997. Prohibition to use certain substances with hormonal and thyrostatic effects and beta-agonist substances for use in livestock breeding(Official Spanish Gazette issue no. 208 of 30 August 1997).
- Title XVII, Chapter III of the Spanish Criminal Code (on offences against public health (Official Spanish Gazette issue no. 281, of 24 November 1995).
Autonomous Regulations
- Decree 156/2001 of 30 July 2001, on the authorisation and monitoring of establishments related to the distribution and dispensation of veterinary medications, the manufacture and distribution of medicated feed, and the preparation of auto-vaccines of veterinary use in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country(Official Gazette of the Basque Country issue no. 163 of 23 August 2001).
- Basque Government Decree 55/2003 on the monitoring and evaluation of the hygiene-health conditions of raw milk production in the ACBC (Official Gazette of the Basque Country issue no. 53, of 14 March 2003).
- Order of 10 February 1997 (Official Gazette of the Basque Country issue no. 40 of 27 February 1997) and 17 October 2000 (Official Gazette of the Basque Country issue no. 219 of 15 November 2000) approving the standard veterinary prescription form.
