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AgVetLink: Number 67, April 2008

APVMA Visit – Alignment Update

The Director of the ACVM Group met recently with the newly appointed Chief Executive of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), Ms Eva Bennet-Jenkins.

The APVMA has confirmed the priority of the work on the ‘alignment project’ underway with NZFSA and ERMA NZ. This project is intended to align processes and systems to the maximum extent possible while recognising that agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines have a permanent exemption under the TTMRA (Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement).

Proposal to reduce time/cost

New Zealand is progressing a proposal that is intended to reduce the time and cost to market for companion  animal products that are registered in Australia. NZFSA (with the permission of the Australian registrant company) will use the APVMA assessment of data as the basis for the New Zealand decision. As the cost of registration in New Zealand is based on the time taken and this should effectively reduce the time significantly, we are expecting that this will reduce the cost of registration. Over time, it will also increase the number of companion animal products available on the New Zealand market.

At this stage and degree of alignment, this option could apply only to:

• products specifically for use on aviary birds and pigeons

• products specifically for use on aquaria fish.

After trialling the option on these kinds of products, if it is decided that it is practical and meets risk management objectives in New Zealand, NZFSA will consider the practicality of applying it to other kinds of products, such as those for dogs and cats. At present NZFSA does not consider that the option could be applied to any product likely to be used on food-producing animals, including horses.

NZFSA would be happy to hear from any registrant companies who would be interested in taking part in a trial of this proposal.

June visit planned

The APVMA will visit New Zealand in June and will cover the progress on this and other aspects of the alignment project. The agenda will also cover a review of the APVMA /NZFSA Memorandum of Understanding, a meeting of the ANZ VICH Management Group (see the website at http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/vich/index.htm) and a discussion on other opportunities to work together cooperatively.