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Homeopathy supporters to march on RCVS
A petition calling for the RCVS to retract its statement on homeopathy has garnered support from more than 13,000 people.

Vets and pet owners to deliver petition in protest of new position statement

Homeopathy supporters will be marching to the RCVS headquarters on Monday (15 January) to deliver a petition in protest to the College’s new position statement on complementary therapies.

The march has been organised by the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons (BAHVC), which has been campaigning for the College to retract its statement on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This includes homeopathy, which it says is a de facto ban.

Vets, animal lovers and their pets are planning to meet outside the Houses of Parliament and will then march towards the RCVS headquarters in Horseferry Road.

In November 2017, the RCVS updated its position statement on homeopathy to say that complementary and alternative therapies must not delay or replace treatments that are based on sound scientific evidence. The statement read:

‘Homeopathy exists without a recognised body of evidence for its use. Furthermore, it is not based on sound scientific principles…it is vital to protect the welfare of animals committed to the care of the veterinary profession and the public’s confidence in the profession that any treatments not underpinned by a recognised evidence base or sound scientific principles do not delay or replace those that do.’

A petition calling for the RCVS to retract its statement has garnered support from more than 13,000 people.

BAHVS President Chris Day said: “This is an attack on freedom of choice for clients and on clinical freedom of vets. It has been imposed without consultation with clients or any of the vets who use these treatments.

“We are deeply disappointed that the RCVS would seek to undermine its own members whose independence and livelihoods are at stake.”

The RCVS stressed that it has not banned veterinary homeopathy and neither does its position statement suggest that it has. ‘We expect treatments like homeopathy, which are not underpinned by a recognised evidence base or sound scientific principles, to be offered alongside, or complementary to, those treatments that are,’ it said. 

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VMD responds to Solensia injection concerns

News Story 1
 The VMD has added anaphylaxis to the SPC of Solensia 7 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Cats.

It says that this is a rare side effect, with such adverse events affecting fewer than three animals for every 1000 doses of Solensia sold.

Solensia is used to alleviate osteoarthritis pain in cats. It contains the active ingredient frunevetmab.

Anaphylaxis joins effects such as alopecia, dermatitis, pruritus on the list of adverse effects.

The VMD says that is constantly reviewing adverse event data for all medicines. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
More bird housing measures introduced in England

The Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) is to enforce mandatory housing measures in five more regions, as it tackles the spread of avian influenza in kept and wild birds across England.

From 16 February the measures will apply to Cheshire, Herefordshire, Lancashire, Merseyside and Worcestershire. The regions join eight other locations which are already following the measures.

Bird keepers in these areas must house their birds, as well as following strict biosecurity measures. Any locations within a Protection Zone outside these areas must also keep birds housed.

An Avian Influenza Protection Zone, mandating enhanced biosecurity measures, remains in place across Great Britain. On 10 February, APHA also banned the gatherings of poultry, galliforme and anseriforme birds in England, Scotland and Wales

All disease control zones can be checked on APHA's interactive map. Further guidance on additional housing measures can be found here.