Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
EmailIphone Application    Posted: 6th March 2024
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.
Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

New legislation to modernise VMR
The changes follow the government's response to a public consultation.
The government says it will make the UK a better place to develop medicines.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced new legislation for the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 (VMR), which it says will modernise and maintain the UK as a place to develop veterinary medicine.

The changes made to the VMR follow plans set out in the government’s response to last year’s public consultation.

Defra says that these changes will introduce new measures which will help to tackle antimicrobial resistance. The measures will increase the restrictions on antibiotic use, as well as antibiotics administered via feed.

This forms part of the government’s wider work to combat antimicrobial resistance, as the UK aims to contain and control antimicrobial resistance by 2040. The vision delivered through the UK’s five-year National Action Plan for AMR.

Defra has stated that its recent UK-Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance and Sales Surveillance (VARRS) report revealed that the sales of antibiotics for use in food-producing animals fell by almost 10 per cent last year. Antibiotics sales for this purpose have also dropped by 59 per cent since 2014.

Other changes will attempt to reduce regulatory burdens on marketing veterinary medicine, by facilitating the submission of one marketing authorisation application dossier to enable common packaging to be used across the UK.

The VMR sets out the controls for the marketing, manufacturing, distribution, possession, and administration of veterinary medicines and medicated feed. The rules are established to protect animal health, public health, and the environment.

Abi Seager, the Veterinary Medicine Directorate’s chief executive officer, said: “I am delighted that this much-anticipated legislation has been brought to Parliament.

“I would like to thank Lord Douglas-Miller for his input, and our stakeholders for helping to shape our thinking, both in responses to our consultation and through other contributions. We eagerly await parliamentarians discussing our proposals, and we hope they support these much-needed changes.”

Image © Shutterstock

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.