Veterinary pharmacist

US profession In the United States, this differs slightly from the title of "veterinary pharmacy specialist," who might additionally work in consulting, research, and education for veterinary pharmacy. Through compounding, pharmacists can adjust a medication for an animal so it is more appealing in taste or appearance. While there is currently no required veterinary pharmacy curriculum in place by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the American Veterinary Medical Association understands that some veterinary education might be beneficial to pharmacists as community pharmacies continue to supply animal medications. In addition to oversight by the FAO, and the OIE, which governs the Terrestrial Animal Health Code, the veterinary pharmacopeia is regulated by various governmental bodies, including • USDA, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration • CFIA • EMA and its Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use • Veterinary Medicines Directorate UK profession In the United Kingdom Veterinary Pharmacy comprises four areas of practice: • Public Health issues associated with human-animal contact, treatment and prevention of zoonotic disease and vector control • Veterinary Medicinal Products involving the formulation and supply of veterinary medicinal products by dispensing or over the counter sale, Regulatory control. • Animal Welfare involving the provision of advice, prescribing and supply of veterinary medicinal products where legal regulations allow and animal health planning, • Business Administration including marketing veterinary services and financial control. In the UK and Ireland, the term Veterinary Pharmacy is not solely the domain of the pharmacist. Other veterinary health care providers may provide elements of veterinary pharmacy to varying extents. Practising veterinary pharmacy does not imply necessarily that the person concerned is a registered pharmacist. A qualification for support staff working within the animal medicines industry was created by the UK Government in 2003, and holders were designated Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs). SQPs are also known as Animal Health Advisors and are able to carry out veterinary functions similar to pharmacists, except for dispensing veterinary only medicines prescribed by veterinarians and in the distribution category POM-V. There is a similar system in Ireland. == Education ==

US education Currently, in the United States, the only available form of veterinary pharmacy education is that of elective courses in pharmacy schools, UK education In the United Kingdom, pharmacists registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council may dispense and prescribe certain veterinary medicinal products without further training but many pharmacists would struggle to provide a confident and informed service as the amount of veterinary pharmacy included in the undergraduate programme is limited. Further, professional bodies require supplementary training for the practice of specialities. In 1981, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) initiated a Diploma in Agricultural and Veterinary Pharmacy (DAgVetPharm) for its Members; this was mainly focused on arable crops and livestock. Towards the end of the 2003 the agricultural element was dropped, the course was modularised with new sections added to cover emerging interest in public health and companion animal healthcare. The teaching location was subsequently transferred from the University of Aston in Birmingham to Harper Adams University where full accreditation was secured. Harper Adams University, the UK's first Agricultural University has an extensive Veterinary Pharmacy Education Programme (See https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/116) that includes certificates, post graduate diplomas and an MSc as well as ongoing CPD. The Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority (AMTRA) registers SQPs and they may have species-specific qualifications or may have a qualification covering all species of animals. The training provided by Harper Adams University, leading to a formal academic qualification is provided for both pharmacists and SQPs. == Practice settings ==

US practice In the United States, veterinary pharmacy can vary from a clinical setting to a community pharmacy setting. As human medications become more popularly prescribed for animals and more community pharmacies begin to stock animal medication, While these positions are less commonly available, pharmacists can be beneficial resources in veterinary schools, due to their knowledge of pharmacology. Of the 28 veterinary schools in the US, 27 employ pharmacists. UK practice In the United Kingdom opportunities exist for pharmacists and SQPs in clinical and non clinical environments: • Academia • Community Practice • Pharmaceutical Industry • Regulatory Affairs • Retail establishments • Veterinary Hospital Dispensaries • Veterinary Practice Dispensaries SQPs are being encouraged to act as signpost clients to pharmacists or other human health care providers if they detect public health issues particularly in response to zoonoses. == Challenges in practice ==

In the United States, the main challenge to pharmacists in pursuit of a career in veterinary pharmacy is the minimal availability of concrete education on pharmacology in relation to different animals. It is the responsibility of the veterinary pharmacist to take into account the physiology of the individual animal to safely compound a successful and effective medication. == History ==

United States In the United States, The first mention of veterinary pharmacy may date back to around 1960, when literature was published synthesizing veterinary medicine and antibiotic usage. While this has changed, with multiple drug companies such as Merck Animal Health selling $3.3 billion worth of drugs for pets and livestock, due to expensive approvals necessary from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), most drugs are often approved for one particular type of patient. ==See also==