The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has welcomed the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) summary of its provisional decision on veterinary services for household pets, calling it a positive step towards improving transparency and trust across the sector.
The CMA’s summary identifies areas where competition and transparency could be strengthened, with proposals including clearer information on pricing and ownership, and fairer processes for written prescriptions.
Dawn Howard, NOAH chief executive, said: “We welcome this latest step from the CMA. The summary reflects many of the issues raised by NOAH and others across the sector, particularly around transparency, clarity and fair outcomes for pet owners.
“We look forward to reviewing the full report and engaging with the consultation process to help ensure the final recommendations deliver real benefits while supporting a sustainable, innovative veterinary sector.
“We are also pleased that the CMA has chosen not to recommend changes at this time to the veterinary prescribing cascade. This recognises the importance of retaining veterinary clinical judgment and the safeguards that underpin responsible medicine use.”
NOAH highlighted that the prescribing cascade is a critical regulatory framework which:
- Ensures that animal health and welfare remain central to all treatment decisions;
- Ensures that pets continue to receive species and condition-specific animal medicines; and
- Underpins continued access to innovation, ensuring that treatments for companion animals remain effective and available.
Mrs Howard said that NOAH is keen to examine the full provisional decision report to understand the detail behind the CMA’s proposed remedies and their potential impact on the veterinary and animal health industries.
