Zinc Oxide Update

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The European Commission has now confirmed the EU-wide ban on the use of zinc oxide at medicinal levels in piglet feed, giving member states up to five years to phase it out.

A decision to withdraw all marketing authorisations for veterinary medicines containing zinc oxide was voted through by the Standing Committee on Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP) in Brussels on Monday.

Member States now have a maximum of five years to withdraw the marketing authorisations for these products. It will be up to the UK Government, advised by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, to decide whether to allow the maximum transition period in this country, which, unless Brexit heralds a different approach, would mean a ban in 2022.

PVS and NPA both support the maximum period (now confirmed as 5 years) before withdrawal in the UK.