In brief
Following its publication in the Italian Official Gazette on 21 May 2021, the decree of the Ministry of Health authorizing the use of drugs for human use for the treatment of pets and certain animal diseases came into force.
What’s new
The purpose of the decree is to allow the use of drugs for human use, which are less expensive than veterinary medicinal products, in order to ensure a fairer access to animal care. Indeed, the decree provides that a veterinary shall be allowed to prescribe drugs for human use for the treatment of pets on the basis of the purchaser’s best economic advantage, provided that the relevant drug contains the same active ingredient of the veterinary medicinal product and that the same drug is not included within the list of drugs whose availability is limited.
