Lorraine Williamson
Veterinarians across Spain went on strike on Tuesday, February 11, from 11.00 am to 12.00 pm. The protest was against new bureaucratic requirements for prescribing antibiotics, which professionals fear will delay animal treatments and negatively impact their well-being.
Since January 2, 2024, veterinarians in Spain must enter all antibiotic prescriptions into Presvet, a new digital registration system. This platform is designed to monitor antibiotic use in animals and reduce resistance. While acknowledging the need to limit antibiotics, veterinarians argue that the measure complicates their work and could put animal lives at risk.
The Madrid Association of Veterinarians claims that Presvet restricts their freedom to prescribe treatments. “This tool complicates our daily work and limits our ability to intervene quickly. In some cases, it even harms the well-being of our patients,” the association stated.
Call for more flexibility
Veterinarians are calling for legal amendments to allow them to dispense antibiotics and essential medications directly in their clinics. “We do not want to become pharmacies, but it would be much better if we could provide the full treatment directly,” explains Manuel Lázaro, a clinical veterinarian and board member of the Madrid Veterinary Association. Currently, veterinarians issue prescriptions, requiring pet owners to obtain the medication from pharmacies.
Furthermore, a significant concern is that some antibiotics are only registered for specific conditions. This restricts veterinarians from prescribing effective drugs for other conditions, even when scientific research supports their use. “If a dog has severe infectious diarrhea and the appropriate antibiotic is officially only registered for respiratory infections, we cannot prescribe it without triggering an alert in the system. We are completely handcuffed,” says Lázaro.
European policy and time pressure
The new regulation is part of a European directive that must be implemented across member states by 2030. Felipe Vilas, president of the Madrid Veterinary Association, questions why Spain is enforcing the policy so strictly and urgently. “We do not understand why this is being imposed with such haste when we still have years to implement it properly.”
Discussions and possible adjustments
The Organisation of Veterinary Associations (OCV) has scheduled a meeting on February 14 to discuss the situation. The OCV states that the regulations will not affect emergency cases. “In urgent situations, treatment and medication must always take precedence over bureaucratic requirements,” the organisation emphasises.
Veterinarians also highlight difficulties in obtaining medication. Moreover, many veterinary medicines are not readily available in pharmacies, leading to delays. “If we could provide the necessary medications ourselves, there would be no delays, and we could prevent owners from being stuck with large packages of unnecessary pills,” Lázaro stresses.
Severe fines for mistakes
Beyond administrative burdens, veterinarians fear the steep fines associated with errors in the Presvet system. Serious violations carry fines ranging from €60,000 to €1,200,000, while minor mistakes can result in penalties between €600 and €3,000 or an official warning. “These penalties are completely disproportionate,” says Lázaro.
With the strike, Spanish veterinarians hope to highlight the challenges they face and urge the government to modify the regulations. Whether the protest will lead to policy changes remains uncertain in the coming months.