The Moral Maze teams at BEVA Congress.

Experts debate effect of specials manufacturing on equine welfare

A majority of equine vets believe the use of pharmaceutical specials is essential for equine welfare, according to a debate held at BEVA Congress.

The Moral Maze-style debate closed with 76 per cent of the audience disagreeing with the motion ‘Specials manufacturing in the UK will adversely affect equine welfare in the long term’.

BEVA president Renate Weller said: “Compliance with the cascade is a genuine cause for concern for our members and this discussion very usefully explored some of the intricacies of its application to equine practice.

“As a non-native English speaker, I find it slightly ironic that the dictionary definition of extemporaneous, “done without preparation or thought” be applied to these medicines, since our members are forced to carefully consider a wide range of factors when using them.”

Pharmaceutical specials are tailored medications, produced in specific dosages, to meet the needs of individual patients. They must be prescribed under the cascade and have an important role in the treatment of the horse given the lack of available licensed medicines.

Chaired by Richard Stephenson, the debate followed recent claims of cascade violations reported in the media.

Linda Horspool from MSD Animal Health and Shaun McKane, director of Cotts Farm Animal Clinic proposed the motion that specials will have a negative impact on equine welfare. Professor Mark Bowen from Nottingham Vet School and Bruce Blazon, a specialist in equine surgery, took the opposing corner.

At the start of the session, two-thirds of the audience confirmed they used specials at least once a week. The majority said the main reason why they use specials is that they are unique formulations that are not available in licensed form - not because they are ignoring red tape.

Image (C) David Boughey