Products approved for human use under the Medicines Act 1981 can be used as veterinary medicines only when prescribed by a veterinarian and used in accordance with this standard. This comprises of medicines, new medicines, pharmacy-only, prescription and restricted medicines and substances.

Human medicines have not been evaluated for safety or efficacy in animals, nor have they been appraised with respect to potential residues if used in food-producing animals. They would have been manufactured in accordance with good manufacturing practices but they may not have been manufactured in facilities approved by the ACVM Group.

They are not necessarily prepared or packaged appropriately for use as veterinary medicines, they could include forbidden substances (see www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm for current list), and their labelling is probably irrelevant to their use as veterinary medicines. (more…)