Reps from animal medicine firms have been recognised and rewarded at an annual event in London organised by NOAH, the National Office of Animal Health, which represents the UK animal medicines industry.
NOAH’s second Members Day at BMA house in London on 15 June rewarded the top NOAH Certificate of Animal Health (NCAH) students for 2017.
The NCAH qualification enables animal medicines representatives to provide support to the prescribers and sellers of animal medicines they visit. It provides a solid background in animal physiology, immunology and pharmacology, nutrition and animal disease control, as well as full knowledge of the legal framework in which licensed veterinary medicines are regulated, promoted and sold.
The NCAH is written into the rules for NOAH company membership, is a requirement of the NOAH Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines and is also a requirement for non-NOAH companies who put products in the NOAH Compendium who must comply with NOAH’s Code. It is formally academically accredited by Harper Adams University, who also host both the training courses and examinations.
Three sets of examinations were held in 2017, in May, July and September, with 52 students taking the exam during the year. This year for the first time three students tied in first overall place. These were: Megan Brady from Merial, Leah Craven from Nimrod Veterinary Products Ltd and Louise Good who previously worked at Zoetis. All three took their examination in the July session.
Megan Brady and Leah Craven attended the members day to accept their certificate from NOAH chair Gaynor Hillier: unfortunately Louise was unable to attend.
For the May exam Nicola Nelson from Zoetis came first with three people tying for secondplace: Matthew Buckley from Virbac together with Emma Houghton and Kate Morris both from Elanco.
Inthe July exam Megan Brady from Merial, Leah Craven from Nimrod Veterinary Products Ltd and Louise Good from Zoetis tied for first place, with Sarah Wood from Vetoquinol in second.
For the September exam first place went to Keira Gifford from Boehringer Ingelheim and second place went to John Newbury, previously from Merial.