Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My first question relates to a multi-stakeholder approach. I notice the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, report makes it clear that tackling antiparasitic resistance needs a multi-stakeholder approach. Currently, 75% of antiparasitic medicines are dispensed with advice from the responsible persons and vet pharmacists but the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine refuses to include these professionals in providing advice and prescribing. Does the HPRA support this strategy? If responsible persons have not caused the resistance, why not include them in prescribing?

There are 1,600 responsible persons and 300 vet pharmacists, all of whom are keen to address antiparasitic resistance recommendations in the report. This presents an irresistible opportunity to unite all prescribers with common training and uniform knowledge transfer to farmers. However, what incentive is there to commit to the training expense and time if they cannot prescribe or advise on antiparasitic resistance?

All antiparasitic medicine prescribers will have to apply best practice, which includes a regulatory body, a code of practice, qualification in chosen species, training in antiparasitic resistance, sole prescribing supervision over the counter, an annually updated register and a prescribing protocol involving compulsory antiparasitic resistance questioning and disciplinary powers. Does the HPRA support these requirements?