Superficially, the
widespread and still growing availability of generic animal medicines
can be seen as an opportunity to give customers a cheap deal. In
human medication, anti-inflammatory ibuprofen - the generic of its
branded forerunner, Nurofen® - shows what is possible. In one of the
many bargain stores around the country, a 16-pack of 200mg ibuprofen
tablets can be bought for less than 50p, while the equivalent Big
Brand is typically three times the price.
The same choice of
generic or brand exists already in VPS medicines, of course. Indeed,
a new product cupboard that is thought to be somewhat under-stocked
suggests this is unlikely to change any time soon. But is this a good
thing for the VPS trade (or indeed, their farmer customers)?
Big Brands do not
achieve that status by accident. It takes sustained and significant
investment by the manufacturer or product licence holder in marketing
and promotions, sales campaigns and CPD for SQPs, brand advertising
and sponsorships. Products with potential for justified widespread
use by farmers that are well-marketed can be expected to jump off
country store shelves and make the merchant a decent margin, and
their sales team some nice commission.
In contrast, customers
can face a wide choice of generics on the shelves or in merchants'
catalogues, some differing from others is quite subtle ways. In this
situation, many will require SQP guidance if their treatment
selection is to be a responsible one. Not only does product need
matching to problem, its use must also be justified in the first
place, all of which - if it is to be done properly - consumes SQP
time and intellect. Clearly, SQP training and ongoing CPD cater for
this, but nonetheless SQPs individually shoulder significant
responsibility in the prescribing process.
Meanwhile, on a
commercial and practical note, each new generic that is stocked
demands shelf and storage space, each at a cost to the distributor's
business. Furthermore, as the number of available generics for a
specific treatment increase, competitive pressures are likely to
drive prices down, and retailer margins along with them.
So the likelihood of a
generics-dominated future offers the prospect of even tighter margins
and with this, fewer opportunities for diligent and ambitious SQPs to
support customers with sound advice and forward looking health (and
welfare) planning. With this low value future in mind, perhaps we
should be careful what we wish for the next time a customer winces
about the price of Branded Wormer compared with generic ivermectin,
for example. Otherwise, in an all generics future, who will pay SQP
wages and who will write VPS medicine prescriptions? Quite.
