Big Brands or generics? Be careful what you wish for

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.