How To Order A Prescription Veterinary Medicine
1. Ask your vet for a written prescription for the medicines that your pet needs. Your vet will still need to see your pets just as often for health checks and monitoring BUT the medicines can, more often than not, be much cheaper if you buy online.
It is very important to understand that the UK's Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) both require a UK vet to issue the pet owner with a prescription ON REQUEST, whether that prescription is written/printed at the time of your pet's examination or sent to you as an e-document as soon as your appointment is completed. This requirement is established in the VMD's regulations which all UK vets must adhere to, and is also included in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct by which all MRCVS veterinarians are bound.
If your vet states that they are required to send your pet's prescription directly to us this is incorrect. Doing so will prevent (or at best delay) you from being able to place your order.
If your vet states that they require us to call them with some sort of "order code" this is equally incorrect and such in-house policy does not override your right as the pet owner to receive a written prescription or a printable electronic version on request.
Our own prescription checking procedures will establish the validity of the document after your order has been placed and before your order is shipped.
2. Place your order for prescription medication with MyPetsVet. You will need to upload the prescription (the majority of file formats are accepted) before a prescription product can be added to your basket/cart.
3. Upload your prescription online at the point of ordering your medication and our vets will check and authorise your order.
4. Certain medications we sell (e.g. YuMove Advance 360) also require the completion of an Animal Health Form. This allows our vet to better determine whether there are any potential contra-indications to your pet taking the medication, particularly non-prescription meds.
5. As soon as we receive your pet prescription and/or Pet Health Form, we will carry out the necessary validity checks and then dispatch your order to you – it couldn’t be easier! Please note that these checks will often result in us contacting the prescribing veterinary surgeon/vet practice, the responsiveness of which can either immediate or delayed (veterinary practices are often extremely busy!), so we ask that our customers allow up to 24hrs for these checks to complete.
Prescriptions FAQ
WHY IS A PRESCRIPTION NECESSARY?
Certain medications such as antibiotics, painkillers, and heart and kidney medicines are authorised in the UK as Prescription Only Medicine - Veterinary (POM-V). Much like certain human medications, veterinary medicines categorised as POM-V require a prescription from your veterinarian for procurement.
POM-V medications are designated as such to ensure they are administered under the close supervision of a veterinary professional, guaranteeing the correct dosage tailored to your pet's specific needs. Prescription medicines are subject to stringent regulation to ensure proper storage, supply, and administration.
HOW CAN I OBTAIN A PRESCRIPTION?
You can obtain a prescription from the veterinarian who oversees your pet's care. Simply request a written prescription for the necessary medications. Since 2005, veterinarians are mandated to allow their clients to purchase medications from their preferred supplier. While your vet will still need to conduct health checks and monitoring for your pets, purchasing medicines online often presents a more cost-effective option.
For many veterinary medications, particularly those used for chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart issues, kidney problems, hormonal imbalances, or allergies, substantial savings upwards of 60% can be achieved by procuring them from our online pharmacy. You can begin the process by downloading our prescription form, filling in relevant details, and requesting your vet's signature, date, and practice stamp.
With your prescription in hand, you can proceed to place your order with MyPetsVet!
WHAT IS THE COST OF A PRESCRIPTION?
Your vet may charge a fee just to issue a prescription, the amount of which varies from practice to practice. On average, you should expect to pay between £10 and £17. However, it's worth noting that there might be a reduced charge for multiple medications. It's advisable to consult with your vet to ascertain their specific fee structure.
HOW MUCH MEDICATION CAN I OBTAIN WITH MY PRESCRIPTION?
Each veterinary practice has its own policy regarding prescriptions, but typically, vets can provide prescriptions for a duration usually ranging from 3 to 6 months. The duration of the prescription may also be influenced by your pet's condition and the frequency of necessary re-evaluations by your vet. For example, prescriptions for flea and worming or joint care medications often have longer durations, sometimes as much as 12 months. It's prudent to discuss with your vet the possibility of obtaining the longest duration prescription possible, especially for pets requiring long-term medication. Regardless of the medication period prescribed it should be noted that a prescription can only be valid for 6 months from the date of issue, meaning that all of the medication listed on the prescription must be ordered from your veteriany pharmacy
HOW DO I SUBMIT MY PRESCRIPTION?
Our website clearly highlights all POM-V products. When selecting a POM-V item, you'll be prompted to upload your prescription from your phone or computer. Prescriptions can be submitted in various formats including scanned documents, JPEGs, or PDFs. If you don't have the prescription at hand then we regret that it is not possible to place an order for prescription medication from MyPetsVet.
Please note that an order for prescription medication will not proceed to checkout until the prescription is uploaded. We can only dispense up to the total quantity specified on the prescription. Any excess ordered will be refunded, subject to a £5.00 handling charge.
DOES MY PRESCRIPTION GET CHECKED?
It most definitely does, and rest assured that we've had some very odd documents uploaded in the past from blank pieces of paper to falsified prescriptions created in Word! For all prescriptions, any alterations invalidate the prescription – it must be rewritten.
As soon as your prescription arrives we carry out online checks to confirm that the veterinary practice it purports to be from actually exists and that the prescribing vet is associated with it. We then check that the prescribing vet is registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons by using their Find-A-Vet tool at https://findavet.rcvs.org.uk/find-a-vet-surgeon/ . Finally, we may call the issuing veterinary practice to check that you are indeed a client of theirs and that they have a record of the prescription you have just submitted to us. In some cases our vet will ask to discuss the medication prescribed and the reasons for prescribing it with the issuing vet.
WHAT IS THE VALIDITY PERIOD OF THE PRESCRIPTION?
The validity period of the prescription varies depending on the policy of the veterinary surgery. Many vets issue prescriptions valid for the maximum 6 months, while others may opt for 3 months or even shorter. Additionally, the severity of your pet's condition may influence the necessity for your vet to conduct a re-evaluation before authorising a repeat prescription, ensuring the appropriateness of treatment and dosage and monitoring for adverse effects.
For further information on prescriptions, including restrictions for controlled drugs, precautions against fraudulent prescriptions, and procedures for reporting adverse effects, please see below:
Special Restrictions for Controlled Drugs (e.g., Buprenorphine or Phenoleptil, Morphine etc)
Certain medicines are subject to different rules. These medicines, classified as Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule 3 and Schedule 4 (pt.1) (Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001), have distinct regulations and cannot be legally sold online in the UK.
Schedule 1: Not Available in the UK: These drugs have no recognized medicinal use and cannot be prescribed or dispensed for veterinary purposes. They are generally only available for research under special licenses, so they would not be available for purchase in any veterinary practice.
Schedule 2: In-Person Purchase: Schedule 2 drugs can be prescribed by a veterinarian and dispensed only at a registered veterinary practice. The customer can collect these drugs in person, but this process involves strict regulations, including:
- The requirement for a valid veterinary prescription.
- The need for the veterinarian or pharmacist to maintain detailed records of the prescription and dispensing.
- Secure storage of the drugs in a locked, safe environment at the practice.
- The possibility that the client may need to provide identification when collecting the medication.
Schedule 3: In-Person Purchase: Schedule 3 drugs, similar to Schedule 2 drugs, can be dispensed at a veterinary practice with a valid prescription. They require less stringent record-keeping than Schedule 2 drugs, but they still need to be stored securely and dispensed by a qualified veterinarian or pharmacist.
Misuse of Prescriptions
It is illegal to use a fraudulent prescription to obtain veterinary medicines, or to alter a prescription without proper authorisation from the prescriber. Suspected cases of prescription fraud or unlawful alteration will be reported to the appropriate authorities. If any concerns arise regarding the validity of a prescription, the details will be verified with the issuing veterinary surgeon.
Reporting Adverse Reactions
No medicine is without risk, and all medications have the potential to cause adverse effects. If you suspect that you or your pet have experienced an adverse reaction to any medicinal product, please contact your vet immediately and report it to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) using the provided form on the government website here.
Veterinary Medicinal Products (VMPs) are authorised by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA)
They are assessed for safety, efficacy and quality
All must have a Marketing Authorization (MA)
Authorized VMPs must display a VM or EU code
There are four main categories of authorised veterinary medicines:
POM-V medicines can only be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon
POM-VPS medicines can be prescribed by a vet, pharmacist or suitably qualified person (SQP)
NFA-VPS medicines can be supplied by a vet, pharmacist or SQP
AVM-GSL medicines can be sold by anyone
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and is the UK’s regulatory authority for veterinary medicines with responsibility for development of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR). The VMR regulates the authorization, manufacture, distribution and use of all veterinary medicines in the UK.