Support in responding to CMA consultation on new requirements

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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is currently consulting on the design of the poster which practices will be required to display in waiting rooms, encouraging clients to shop around for their medicines.

We know many of you are particularly worried about the messaging, language and design of the poster and we're responding formally to the CMA highlighting your concerns.

We also encourage you to share your views directly with the CMA, and we have put together some lines to support you to do so, which you can find below. But hurry, the consultation closes on August 20th and that’s the last chance to influence the design of a poster which all small animal practices will be required to display.

Here are some suggested lines that you can use to contact the CMA directly, before 20th August. Please be sure to edit them accordingly. 

  • We/I support the CMA’s aim of promoting greater competition in the sale of veterinary medicines by raising awareness that a written prescription is available and that medication may be cheaper if bought somewhere other than the prescribing practice.
  • We/I support a consistent approach to proactively offering a prescription, and as such support the CMA’s requirement for RCVS to produce and distribute standardised literature.
  • We/I do not support the text currently being proposed by the CMA, specifically “The same medicines may be significantly cheaper online”. This text is not neutral or factual and is contestable:
  • “Significantly cheaper” is both subjective and relative, and in many cases will simply not be true
  • online pharmacies are not the only alternative dispensing option available to consumers. Other possible suppliers in an open market would be high street pharmacies and other veterinary practices
  • Requiring practices to display the proposed text is likely to damage trust and the vet-client relationship, and in some cases could encourage verbal abuse and unnecessary altercation in the consultation room.
  • We/I support the subsidiary text being proposed, specifically “You can choose where to buy your pet’s medication. Compare prices online and at other retailers to see the savings you might make”. This text should replace the proposed banner text.
  • An acceptable shorter alternative for the banner text could be Savings may be available if you shop around for your medicines, with the proposed subsidiary text retained as it is.
  • Refinements to the wording on the Standard Written Prescription Notice should also be reflected on the Standard Flyer for ongoing medication.
Respond here