FAQs

Below are some of our most frequently asked questions. If you have a question that isn't on the list below, get in touch 


Which medicines can I order without a prescription from my vet and which require a prescription?

Medicines are split into legal categories including POM-V, POM-VPS, NFA-VPS and AVM-GSL. The two main categories we supply are POM-V and POM-VPS.

 

POM-V Prescription only medicine - Veterinarian. A medicine, to be supplied only on veterinary prescription, which must be prescribed by a veterinarian to animals under his care following a clinical assessment, and which may be supplied by a veterinarian or pharmacist in accordance with the prescription.

POM-VPS Prescription-only medicine - Veterinarian, Pharmacist, Suitably Qualified Person. A medicine for food-producing animals (including horses), to be supplied only on veterinary prescription, which must be prescribed by a veterinarian, pharmacist or SQP (either orally or in writing) and which must be supplied by one of those groups of people in accordance with the prescription.

You will be required to submit a questionnaire at the checkout when purchasing POM-VPS or NFA-VPS medicines, to enable completion of your order. These are checked by a vet or SQP and you may be contacted about the information supplied. Please make sure that your contact details are correct.  

AVM-GSL and OTHER - these products do not require a prescription.

The legal category of a product will be clearly displayed on the packaging. If in doubt give us a call and we will advise you or follow this link for full details NOAH Compendium of Animal Medicines: Overview - Legal Category

How can I upload a prescription?

Once you have placed your order with us, go to My Account > My Orders and you will see a list of orders that you have placed with us.

Next to your order you have the option to Upload a prescription, but it must be in PDF format.

If your prescription is not in that format, then please scan and email it to us using office@farmacy.co.uk

Please remember that we will dispatch the order on a copy of the prescription, but you MUST also send the original copy to us at the following address.

Buliding 2, Unit 1

Dawes Farm

Bognor Road

Warnham

West Sussex

RH12 3SH

Why are medicines from farmacy.co.uk so much cheaper than they are from my vet?

farmacy.co.uk has been set up as a low cost operation with few staff and systems designed to minimise cost, allowing us to work on tight margins. We buy at the right time to provide you with savings on the products you require when you actually need then.

Are the products supplied by farmacy.co.uk any different from those I am used to buying?

NO! All products dispensed by farmacy.co.uk are fully compliant with UK legislation and purchased in Britain from the Authorisation Holder, or their distributor. Check our packs, they carry the UK marketing symbols: POM-V, POM-VPS, NFA-VPS, or AVM-GSL; the marketing authorisation code, Vm0000/0000; expiry dates; and batch numbers.

Can my vet refuse to prescribe?

Not if the vet would be prepared to supply the medicines to you by him/herself! The rules are quite clear in this area and state that a vet can only prescribe for animals under his/her care and must have sufficient knowledge of the animals before prescribing. If the vet would be prepared to supply medicines to you on request, he/she cannot refuse to supply you with a prescription.

Can my vet insist on extra visits and examination fees before issuing a prescription?

Absolutely not. The vets' governing body, The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, has made it clear that any medicines which your vet is happy to supply to you without visits and examinations should also be made available by issuing a prescription.

Can my vet charge for the prescription?

From October 2008 prescription charges can be made but only if reasonable. The government wishes to be made aware if excessive levies are made and we will be happy to collect this info and pass it on

Is there any limit on the quantity of medicine I can ask to be prescribed?

It is not good practice to carry excess medicine stocks and most vets would normally only supply enough medicine for a month at a time. You can ask your vet, however, to add the words "repeat five times" to the prescription and this would allow you to obtain another month's supply on five further occasions - in other words one prescription can be used for six months supply.

Can one prescription be for more than one product?

Yes, legally a single prescription can cover as many items as required.

Does a vet have to use a special form?

No, there are certain details which must appear on a prescription and all vets have been trained in this. Orders placed at farmacy.co.uk will automatically generate a prescription form but this does not have to be used. Since October 2005 the prescription MUST contain precise dosage instructions.

How do we prevent fraud and make sure that any prescription is from a qualified vet?

farmacy.co.uk must ensure that prescriptions have been issued by a qualified vet and whenever there is any doubt we will contact the veterinary practice before continuing our supply process. After shipment is made we will also send your vet a copy of the validated prescription for their records.

My vet says if I insist on him writing a prescription his fees will go up - is this true?

Possibly this may be true but the effect is likely to be limited. The new legislation bans a vet from charging higher fees where a prescription is required as opposed to where the vet supplies the medicine him/herself so vets cannot discriminate against those clients asking for a prescription. We find that, in virtually every case, the cost saving on the medicines more than outweighs any increase in fees. We advise farmers to use the vet in a pro-active way, ask your vet what they can do for you and your farm. Vets are a fundamental part of successful livestock farming and deserve to be paid for the provision of expert advice.

What can I do if I think my vet is being unreasonable over the way he responds to my request for a prescription?

You should discuss your problem with a senior member of the practice and try to resolve the problem locally but if all else fails you can consult the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in London for advice. Despite its title the Royal College is there to protect the interests of the consumer.