Veterinary practices will face new rules limiting prescription fees and requiring them to inform clients when the same medicine can be bought more cheaply online.
The changes are intended to give pet owners clearer information about the cost of medicines and the options available to them. Vets will need to tell clients if an online supplier offers a lower price, rather than leaving owners unaware of a potentially cheaper source.
The updated requirements will also place a cap on fees for prescriptions issued by veterinary surgeries. The supplied information does not specify the level of the cap or when it will take effect.
Veterinary practices will have the coming months to introduce the changes. Further details about the implementation timetable and the precise fee limits have not been provided.
