Veterinary prescription format & application standard (MOA Announcement No.2450, 2016)
The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) Announcement No. 2450 (dated 2016-10-08) promulgated the Veterinary Prescription Format and Application Standard (《兽医处方格式及应用规范》), effective from the date of issuance; prescription slips not conforming to the standard could not be used from 2017-01-01.
The promulgation clause states: "为加强兽医处方管理，规范兽医执业行为，根据《中华人民共和国动物防疫法》及《执业兽医管理办法》《动物诊疗机构管理办法》《兽用处方药和非处方药管理办法》，我部制定了《兽医处方格式及应用规范》，自发布之日起执行" — the Standard was formulated under the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law, the Licensed-Veterinarian Measures, the Animal-Diagnosis-Institution Measures, and the Prescription/Non-prescription Veterinary-Drug Measures, and takes effect upon issuance.
Non-conforming slips: "凡与本规范不符的处方笺自 2017 年 1 月 1 日起不得使用" — prescription slips not meeting the Standard may not be used from 2017-01-01.
A veterinary prescription is defined as: "本规范所称兽医处方，是指执业兽医师在动物诊疗活动中开具的，作为动物用药凭证的文书" — a written document issued by a licensed veterinarian (执业兽医师) during animal-diagnosis activity, serving as the medication voucher for an animal.
Validity: "兽医处方限于当次诊疗结果用药，开具当日有效。特殊情况下需延长有效期的，由开具兽医处方的执业兽医师注明有效期限，但有效期最长不得超过 3 天" — a prescription is limited to medication for the current consultation and is valid on the day issued; where extension is needed, the issuing licensed veterinarian notes the extended period, but validity may not exceed 3 days.
Form: "兽医处方笺一式三联，可以使用同一种颜色纸张，也可以使用三种不同颜色纸张" — prescription slips are in triplicate, in one colour or three different colours.
Sizes: "兽医处方笺分为两种规格，小规格为：长 210 mm 、宽 148 mm ；大规格为：长 296 mm 、宽 210 mm" — two sizes: small 210 mm × 148 mm, large 296 mm × 210 mm.
Sections: "兽医处方笺内容包括前记、正文、后记三部分" — the slip contains three sections: 前记 (front note), 正文 (body), 后记 (back note).
Retention: "兽医处方由处方开具、兽药核发单位妥善保存二年以上" — prescriptions must be retained by the issuing/dispensing unit for at least two years.
This is the prescribing-layer companion to the veterinary-drug regulatory topics already in this category.
Source
pdf-raw/cn-vet-regulation/vet_rx_format_2016.txt (first-hand MOA Announcement No. 2450, 2016 text; retrieved 2026-07-24).