Prescription writing Flashcards
What is the acronym for diagnosis
Dx
What is the acronym for prescription
Px
What is the acronym for treatment
Tx
What is the acronym for adverse event
AE
What is the acronym for adverse reaction
AR
What is the acronym for suspected adverse reaction
SAR
What is SQP/RQP
suitably/registered qualified person
Trained by AMTRA to dispense some medication
What is VMD & NOAH
VMD = Veterinary Medicines Directorate
NOAH = National Office of Animal Health
VMD sets legal rules & requirements – regulations for vets
NOAH is subdivision of VMD – has data sheets, most things will be in NOAH but not everything
What does COPC stand for?
RCVS Code of Professional Conduct
Define veterinary prescription
‘any prescription for a veterinary medicinal product issued by a professional person qualified to do so in accordance with applicable national law’.
What are the key regulations governing veterinary prescriptions in the UK?
Veterinary Surgeons Act.
Veterinary Medicines Regulations (amended in 2024).
Misuse of Drugs Act.
RCVS Code of Professional Conduct.
How has the guidance on prescribing and the Cascade changed recently?
Promoting illegal Cascade use (e.g., recommending unlicensed drugs when licensed options exist) is now a criminal offense.
Emergency exceptions allow vets to recommend medicines already at home but not to advise purchasing them illegally.
What is a clinical assessment?
Assessment providing enough information to diagnose & prescribe safely, including:
- Physical examination (required for notifiable diseases, controlled drugs, antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, or antiparasitics).
- Consideration of species-specific requirements.
What is AVM-GSL medicine
Authorized Veterinary Medicine – General Sale List.
These are “over-the-counter” medicines with no prescription or legal restrictions.
What is a POM-VPS medicine, and how is it prescribed?
Prescribed by any Registered Qualified Person (Vet, Pharmacist, SQP).
No clinical assessment or animal care requirement.
Examples: Flea and worm products sold in stores.
What is a POM-V medicine, and how is it prescribed?
Prescribed only by a veterinary surgeon.
Requires a clinical assessment.
animal must be under vet’s care
What are Small Animal Exemption Scheme (SAES) medicines?
Medications exempt from marketing authorization for small non-food animals (e.g., cage birds, rabbits).
Only used under veterinary supervision and with clinical assessment.
What are the key points for prescribing antiparasitics?
Prescriptions should ensure effective control while minimizing risk of resistance.
Follow regulatory guidelines & use licensed products where possible.
What are the restrictions for prescribing antibiotics?
- Can’t be used routinely or to compensate for poor husbandry.
- Prophylactic use is restricted to exceptional circumstances.
- Prescribe for shortest duration necessary.
How should chronic conditions be managed with installment prescriptions?
For long-term conditions, prescribe minimum amount for treatment.
Installment prescriptions specify exact dates & quantities for dispensing.
What are the key elements for writing a prescription?
- Record reasons for prescription
- Print/Write legibly in ink, include date, and sign.
- Use full drug names, no abbreviations.
- State dosage, route, and treatment duration.
- write out microgram/nanogram - no abbreviations
- always put 0 before initial decimal point
- alterations invalidate the prescription - rewrite
- prescription not repeated more than 3x without re-checking patient
- Include for animal use only
What are the requirements for prescribing controlled drugs?
- Prescriptions for Schedules 2-3 must be handwritten and are valid for 28 days.
- Repeat prescriptions not allowed.
- Controlled drugs must be stored securely (e.g., locked cabinet).
What are the health and safety aspects of prescribing
Follow the Cascade.
Ensure safe administration and provide warnings.
Prescribe the minimum amount necessary for treatment.
What is the cascade
The Cascade is a legal framework that allows the use of medicines not specifically licensed for a species or condition if no suitable licensed product is available. Misuse or illegal promotion of the Cascade is a criminal offense.
What is an adverse event?
Any observation in animals,
whether or not considered to be product-related,
that is unfavourable & unintended & that occurs after any use of a veterinary medicine (off-label and on-label uses).
Included are events related to a suspected lack of expected efficacy or noxious reactions in humans after being exposed to a veterinary medicine.
What are the types of adverse events?
Lack of expected efficacy = If during use, intended beneficial effects have not been observed this is suspected lack of expected efficacy (SLEE)
Unexpected AE = If nature, severity or outcome of observed AE is not described in SPC that event is unexpected
Serious AE = AE results in death, or increased rates of death in species for which there is expected death rate; life-threatening clinical signs; significant disability or incapacity; congenital anomalies or birth defects, or permanent or prolonged signs.
Non–serious AE = all other adverse reactions of lack of efficacy following treatment with a veterinary medicine are non-serious
What is an adverse reaction
reaction to veterinary medicine which is harmful & unintended
& which occurs at doses normally used in animals for prophylaxis, diagnosis or treatment of disease or to restore, correct or modify a physiological function.
What is the process for reporting adverse reactions?
Record detailed observations.
Report serious AEs to VMD within 15 days.
Use Veterinary Medicines Directorate Digital Services (VMDS) for submissions.
