Petition On Veterinary Prescription Charges

The short era of free veterinary prescriptions in the UK is due to come to an end this summer. For the last three years your vet has not been allowed to charge you for writing out your pet's prescriptions. Previously vets could charge what they liked for writing prescriptions and back in 2005 charges typically ranged from £0 to £30 per prescription.

In October 2005 following a four year investigation by the Competition Commission, (CC) the Government prised open the market for supplying prescription medicines to animals. Its effect was to end the monopoly that vets had for supplying veterinary prescription only medicines, (VPOMs).

The move allowed pharmacies to break into the market. Pet owners were now able to take a prescription written by their vet and have the medicines supplied by their chemist.

Pharmacies were keen to enter the new market. To assist them, for three years the government made it illegal for vets to make any charge whatsoever for issuing prescriptions to clients. This moritorium is about to come to an end.

John Darlington, Managing Director, Bestpet Pharmacy is running a petition on the Downing Street E-Petitions website calling on the Prime Minister to maintain the ban on vets charging for prescriptions. The petition currently has around 6,000 signatories and runs until 08 August. The petition is available here.