RUMA CA&E launches vaccine availability survey
Anonymised responses will inform future plans and strategies to safeguard vaccines.
The Responsible use of Medicines Alliance – Companion Animal & Equine (RUMA CA&E) has launched a new survey into vaccine availability for companion animals and horses.
The questionnaire will seek to gain insight from veterinary professionals, suitably qualified persons (SQPs), retailers and wholesalers about the challenges they are facing with animal vaccines.
It comes amidst growing concern about vaccine shortages in both the companion animal and equine sectors. This can lead to increased usage of antibiotics to treat conditions that could have been prevented with vaccines.
RUMA CA&E campaigns for a reduction in antibiotic use, as it seeks to protect the efficacy of these drugs. It hopes that the UK can lead the way in responsible antibiotic use, through evidence-based and measurable efforts to promote and enhance stewardship.
The organisation is calling for participants to answer a set of questions and share vaccine supply insights from their sectors. The anonymised responses will be shared with industry stakeholders and government bodies, as they develop plans and strategies to safeguard future vaccine supplies.
The survey will remain open until Monday, 1 September 2025 at 5pm.
It follows a similar survey completed by sibling organisation RUMA Agriculture, which explored vaccine supply and availability across the livestock sectors. The survey enabled RUMA Agriculture to build an picture of the issues the industry faces in regards to vaccines.
RUMA CA&E hopes that its own survey will advance its understanding of vaccine availability for the companion animal and equine sector. It has attended a number of vaccine supply meetings held by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and has committed to working closely with them going forward.
Steve Howard, RUMA CA&E secretary general, said: “Vaccines play a key role in safeguarding the health and wellbeing of animals and limited or no supply, which is something that has been reported more frequently over the past few years across all sectors, can have widespread implications on animal wellbeing, medicines use and stewardship.
“This could include an increase in antibiotic use to manage conditions that may otherwise have been prevented with vaccinations; this is an area that especially concerns RUMA CA&E as we work closely with the companion animal and equine sectors to tackle AMR. Vaccine shortages could undermine the great stewardship work underway right across the sectors.”
The survey can be accessed here.
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