Publisher's latest report Human Drugs for Veterinary Use -Current Trends and Future Commercial Prospects for Crossover Drugs discusses global commercial trends and prospects for human medicines applied in the veterinary setting, also called crossover drugs. A wide range of human drugs continue to be applied in the veterinary space due to a lack of approved animal therapies, convenience and the rising costs of veterinary research.

Significant unmet needs within veterinary care, including a lack of drugs for senior animals, underdeveloped research in areas such as veterinary oncology, and a scarcity of novel drugs, diagnostic aids, treatment monitoring, and vaccines, are driving veterinarians to treat animals such as dogs, cats and horses by prescribing drugs intended for human use. The most significant drivers of Extralabel Drug Use (ELDU) in animals are financial.

Unlike the human drugs market, veterinary clinics are involved not only in diagnosis and treatment, but also have the right to dispense pet medications. Consumers cannot purchase the prescribed medications from a pharmacy of their choice, where there would be access to low-priced generic drugs, and human treatments may be a viable alternative.

Key questions answered:

- What regulations need to be followed when prescribing human drugs off-label to pets and food-producing animals?

- What are the main factors driving the prescription of human medicines in animals?

- What are the differences in indication between the human and veterinary setting?

- What are the dosage and side effects of those specific drugs in animals?

- Are there any existing and approved veterinary therapies for the same indication? Why is the human drug preferred over the approved animal drug?

- What are the key drivers and barriers that affect ELDU of human drugs in animals?

- What is currently restricting the crossover drugs market?

- What are the key animal health companies with prominent crossover drug portfolios?