Veterinary Council of Ireland registration exam Veterinary Pharmacy, Prescribing Law & Medicines Regulation: practice questions

1 · Extra-label use: US AMDUCA and the UK cascade · hard

Under the EU cascade, a vet wants to give a dairy cow a human medicine. Which condition concerning the active substance must be met?

1. It must be listed in Table 2 of Regulation 37/2010
2. It must be listed in Table 1 of Regulation 37/2010 as an allowed substance
3. It must have been used safely in cattle in another country for 5 years
4. It must have a human marketing authorisation in at least two member states

2 · Withdrawal periods · medium

Under Article 115 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6, a product authorised for cattle with a 10-day meat withdrawal is used under the cascade in sheep. What is the minimum meat withdrawal?

1. 28 days
2. 15 days
3. 10 days
4. 20 days

3 · Withdrawal periods · hard

Under the EU cascade rule (longest fish withdrawal × 1.5), a product authorised for salmon with a 300 degree-day withdrawal is used in rainbow trout kept at 9 °C. What is the minimum withdrawal in calendar days?

1. 33.3 days
2. 50 days
3. 55.6 days
4. 450 days

4 · Withdrawal periods · medium

Under Article 115 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6, a product authorised for cattle with a zero meat withdrawal is used under the cascade in turkeys. What is the minimum meat withdrawal?

1. 1 day
2. 7 days
3. Zero days
4. 28 days

5 · Withdrawal periods · hard

A UK horse's passport has not been signed out of the food chain. The vet wants to treat chronic lameness with phenylbutazone. What is the legal position?

1. Not allowed: phenylbutazone has no MRL and the horse is in the food chain
2. It may be given because horses are never classed as food-producing animals
3. It may be given with a 6-month withdrawal as an essential substance
4. It may be given with a standard 28-day meat withdrawal under the cascade

6 · Pharmacovigilance and adverse-event reporting · hard

Milk from a cow tests positive for residues above the MRL even though the farmer observed the label withdrawal period exactly. How should this be treated?

1. As the farmer's fault, so no report to the regulator is needed
2. As an adverse event suggesting the label withdrawal is too short
3. As normal biological variation that needs no further action
4. As a laboratory error, so the positive result can safely be ignored

7 · Controlled drugs · medium

Under the UK Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973, which of these veterinary drugs must be kept in a locked controlled-drug cabinet?

1. Buprenorphine
2. Furosemide
3. Meloxicam
4. Amoxicillin

8 · Record keeping · medium

Under the GB Veterinary Medicines Regulations, how often must a practice carry out a detailed audit of its incoming and outgoing medicines against stock held?

1. Every week
2. At least once a year
3. Only when inspected
4. Every five years

9 · Record keeping · easy

Under EU rules, keepers of food-producing animals must keep records of medicines bought and given. For how long at minimum?

1. 6 months
2. 2 years
3. Until the animal is slaughtered
4. 5 years

10 · Record keeping · hard

When a GB vet uses a medicine under the cascade, what should the clinical record show besides the drug and dose?

1. Only the price charged, because cascade drugs are invoiced differently
2. The pharmacist's view, which must be obtained for every case
3. The reason no authorised product suited, the step used and consent
4. Nothing extra, because cascade use is recorded only by the VMD