WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3130/98 by Graham WATSON Licensing medicines for use in animals (SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER)
29. 11. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 341/3 (1999/C 341/003) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3130/98 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission (16 October 1998) Subject: Licensing medicines for use in animals The maximum residue limits introduced by the EU for veterinary medicine in food animals is essential in reducing the risk of residues entering the food chain. However, the regulation is to be applied without consideration of the impact on horses, which are regarded as food producing animals but rarely slaughtered for this purpose in the UK. This has led to fears that the permitted anaesthetic compounds used to anaesthetise animals and control pain will be ineffective, while the effective compounds will no longer be available. Does the Commission recognise the concerns of the British Veterinary Association regarding the impact of these measures on horses? If so, what steps are planned to rectify this situation? Supplementary answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (6 April 1999) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question No E-0041/99 by Mr de Coene (1). (1) OJ C 297, 15. 10. 1999. (1999/C 341/004) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3349/98 by Gianni Tamino (V) to the Commission (16 November 1998) Subject: The drug Viagra There have been reactions all over Europe to the reports published in the German daily newspaper ‘Bild’ on 13 October last of experiments carried out with the Pfizer drug Viagra on dogs in Sandwich in Great Britain. 1. Whether or not for the purposes of authorization, has the Commission been informed, via its departments or the EMEA, of experiments on animals using Viagra and, if so, which and how many animals were used? 2. What are its views on killing animals in order to produce this kind of medicinal product, not least in the light of the EU’s declared intention to reduce the numbers of this kind of experiment? Supplementary answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (15 March 1999) Further to its answer of 21 December 1998 the Commission is now able to pass on the following information. The information published in the European press, and in particular in the Bild newspaper, relayed an article appearing in the Sunday Mirror which listed experiments carried out on dogs in the laboratory in the Sandwich area of the United Kingdom with a view to marketing the drug Viagra. In all it is claimed that 13 dogs were used in the animal experiments reported on in that article. As in the case of all medicines, certain experiments can only be conducted on animals and are essential for further use by human beings without endangering the latter. This is in line with the Annex to Council Directive 75/318/EEC of 20 May 1975 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to analytical, pharmo-toxicological and clinical standards and protocols in respect of the testing of proprietary medicinal