ANTHELMINTIC sheep wormer Zolvix has been reclassified so that it will soon be sold through agricultural merchants, rather than just on veterinary prescription – and the vets are not happy.

The British Veterinary Association has expressed concern that the Veterinary Medicines Directorate has reclassified the 4-AD wormer from POM-V to POM-VPS, which means that, from July 1, it can be supplied by merchants with a Suitably Qualified Person or pharmacists, as well as from vets, who have been sole suppliers since the wormers' launch in 2010.

BVA president Gudrun Ravetz said: "We know that resistance to anthelmintics is increasing in grazing animals and needs to be addressed if the livestock industry is to avoid a potentially disastrous situation of being unable to tackle parasites.

"The reclassification of Zolvix is in direct opposition to the trend in Europe, where we are seeing increased control over dispensing of anthelmintics in species where resistance is a serious threat to animal welfare and profitable production; we're extremely concerned that we might start seeing resistance develop in group 4 as a result," she said.

“BVA believes that prescribing of anthelmintics requires a level of control best provided by a veterinary surgeon who has the animals under his/her care, and is based on a sound clinical diagnosis, in order to protect animal welfare and safeguard the efficacy of these products for the future."

By contrast, manufacturers Elanco welcomed the move, saying that it would make the product more widely accessible to sheep farmers.

“The major benefit for the sheep industry is that the reclassification will increase the number of prescribers who can deliver the sustainable worm control message and its importance for the long term viability of the sheep industry,” said Elanco’s technical consultant Fiona Hutchings.

“Elanco would like to thank vets who have proactively integrated Zolvix into worm control strategies and will continue to support vets as they are essential to achieving the industry aim of sustainable worm control,” she said, adding that Elanco will be facilitating an "extensive prescriber training programme" leading up to and beyond the trade distribution date.