Statement: Authorisation of Xylazine for use by non-veterinarians

purpose this document sets standards for the authorisation of xylazine (which is a restricted veterinary medicine) for an existing client for use on their own animals these are requirements that we expect all veterinarians to follow this statement outlines the conditions under which xylazine may be authorised for use only by the following authorised people allied veterinary professional staff members (avps) being veterinary nurses and technicians nvsb certified farmer velvetter authorised grooms registered under the groom’s scheme authorised stud masters who have completed a training programme it aims to ensure the safe and effective use of xylazine while maintaining high standards of animal welfare and professional conduct background xylazine is a potent restricted veterinary medicine that requires careful oversight due to its significant effects and potential risks the use of xylazine must be strictly controlled to prevent diversion and misuse, and ensure the safety of animals, veterinary professionals, and the public policy statement 1 veterinary authorisation for use by authorised people only the use of xylazine is restricted to instances where a veterinary authorisation has been issued and the use of xylazine is restricted to only the authorised people listed above animal owners are explicitly excluded from having access to or using xylazine under a veterinary authorisation this measure is to ensure that xylazine is administered by individuals with the appropriate training and competence 2 veterinary authorisation specificity following a consultation, the veterinary authorisation must specify the person or persons animal/s treatment (e g a single dose required for the purpose), and purpose (e g to assist with a mare’s mating) 3 prohibition under veterinary operating instructions 3 1 the use of xylazine under a veterinary operating instruction (voi) is strictly prohibited, with the specific exceptions in 3 3 3 2 vois are intended for situations where no veterinary discretion, oversight, or guidance is needed at the time the restricted veterinary medicine (rvm) is used given the nature of xylazine, its use requires ongoing veterinary oversight and cannot be adequately managed under a voi 3 3 exceptions to this standard are the authorisation of xylazine using a voi under the national velvetting standards body (nvsb) to velvet the antlers of deer in accordance with the animal welfare (care and procedures) regulations 2018 the nvsb provides a rigorous programme that is regularly audited mpi accredited groom scheme for transport of horses risks associated with xylazine xylazine poses several risks, including sedation and analgesia xylazine is a sedative and analgesic, that can cause profound sedation incorrect dosing or administration can lead to severe complications, including respiratory depression and cardiovascular effects health and safety while effective for calming and analgesia, the use of xylazine carries risks of unpredictable behaviour due to the drug's influence on the nervous system and individual animal characteristics (e g potential reactivity of sedated equines) to mitigate these risks, proper dosing, observation, and competence are crucial potential for misuse due to its potent effects, there is a risk of misuse or abuse if not properly controlled examples of misuse are the administration to animals that may or may not be specified on the authorisation, to enable painful procedures to be performed without appropriate pain relief potential for diversion there is also a significant risk of diversion for human use, which can have serious health implications adverse reactions animals may experience adverse reactions, including abortion, hypotension, bradycardia, and hypersensitivity considerations for veterinarians when authorising the use of xylazine, veterinarians must also consider the following competence of the people administering the product ensure that the authorised people administering xylazine are adequately trained and competent to do so this includes understanding the correct dosage, administration techniques, and potential side effects level of supervision required determine the appropriate level of supervision needed when xylazine is administered this may vary depending on the competence of the authorised people and the specific circumstances of the case the level of supervision required should be in accordance with the guidelines set out in the vcnz document on veterinary supervision the character of the person ensure the authorised people are sufficiently competent, reliable, and trustworthy informed consent by the owner obtain informed consent from the animal's owner before administering xylazine the owner should be made aware of the potential risks and benefits of the treatment assurance from the owner regarding use ensure that the owner understands that the use of the sedative is limited to the people and animals specified on the authorisation this should include that the owner ensures that any person working on the animal is aware that it has been sedated documentation ensure appropriate documentation of the training and competence assessments the authorisation of the rvm, specifying the person authorised to administer the rvm, and the specified animals it can be administered to the client’s informed consent including understanding risks associated with the administration health and safety considerations under the health and safety at work act 2015, veterinarians, veterinary clinics, businesses, and animal owners must have clear measures in place to assess and manage the risks associated with the authorisation and use of rvms, including xylazine as duty holders under section 45 of the act, veterinarians must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and that other persons are not put at risk by their work deciding to decline a request to authorise an rvm section 4 of the client relationships part of the code of professional conduct states that veterinarians are not obliged to provide a requested treatment, provided that animal welfare and professional standards are met with these aspects in mind, the responsibility sits with the veterinarian to make a reasonable judgement ultimately, the veterinarian will need to take all of these factors into account to decide if it is reasonable to authorise xylazine in this situation this means that veterinarians must consider the welfare of the animal, the appropriateness of the treatment, and their professional standards before making a decision if the requested treatment does not align with these considerations, the veterinarian has the right to refuse to authorise the treatment where a veterinarian, in their judgement, determines that it is not appropriate to proceed without the administration of xylazine, they will require the presence of an authorised person to administer the sedative and remain throughout the procedure this ensures that all actions taken are in the best interest of the animal and adhere to the highest professional standards conclusion the vcnz is committed to supporting veterinarians while ensuring the safe and responsible use of veterinary medicines by restricting the use of xylazine to instances to use by authorised people and prohibiting its use under a voi (with the exception of the nvsb and the mpi groom scheme), we aim to uphold the highest standards of veterinary practice and animal welfare for further information, please refer to the acvm notice requirements for authorising veterinarians and the veterinary operating instructions guidelines https //www mpi govt nz/dmsdocument/20054/direct https //www mpi govt nz/dmsdocument/20057/direct https //hub vetcouncil org nz/code of professional conduct https //hub vetcouncil org nz/veterinary supervision https //hub vetcouncil org nz/veterinary medicines#uvp0z