Animal Health Solution - a Covetrus magazine for veterinary professionals
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1422254
9 Q4 2021 | Animal Health Solutions Veterinary professionals may be surprised to learn that even everyday drug-related practices (eg, splitting tablets for patients, mixing medications in a bottle of ear cleaner) performed at the clinic may fall under the category of compounding. In addition, veterinarians are responsible alongside compounding pharmacists for the safety of any compounded drugs they prescribe or use in-house. Staying informed and shaping the field Federal and state regulations within the three main bodies that oversee veterinary compounding (ie, the Food and Drug Administration [FDA], state boards of pharmacy [SBOP], and US Pharmacopeia [USP]) vary widely. The USP is in the process of updating important compounding guidelines (USP <795> and <797>), 1 and related federal and state guidance is imminent. Industry leaders like Covetrus are working hard to help keep veterinarians up-to-date and informed. Although it can be challenging for veterinary practices to keep up with rules and regulations when they change or are subject to review, it is important to stay informed to keep their practices protected. In addition, this can be a time of opportunity for the veterinary community to weigh in, shape, and improve the use of important medications, tools, and treatments that are critical to their everyday work in providing excellent patient care, as state veterinary medical associations, SBOP, and proposed federal guidelines often solicit veterinary opinion. Pending updates Nonsterile (<795>) and sterile (<797>) compounding USP chapters were last published in 2014 and 2008, respectively. In June 2019, the USP proposed updates to both chapters based on scientific advancements, clinical experience, and consideration of >8000 public comments. However, the update contained unclear guidance and significant procedural changes, leading to concern and confusion within the compounding industry. 2 In response, the USP expert committee addressed concerns in conferences and roundtables throughout 2019 and 2020 and ultimately withdrew the proposed updates and reinstated the previous versions, which remain official until all appeals are appropriately considered. 2 At the time of this publication, USP <795> and <797> are compendial based on their 2014 and 2008 versions.