Cannabidiol products to be regulated
CBD products for use in animals will now require marketing authorisation before they can be sold or supplied in the UK.
The VMD has announced that veterinary products containing Cannabidiol (CBD) are veterinary medicines and should be regulated as such.
A veterinary medicine is defined in the Veterinary Medicines Regulations as:
“Any substance or combination of substances that may be used in, or administered to, animals with a view either to restoring, correcting or modifying physiological functions by exerting a pharmacological, immunological or metabolic action, or to making a medical diagnosis.”
As such, the VMD says that CBD products for use in animals now require marketing authorisation before they can be sold or supplied in the UK.
There are currently no CBD products authorised in the UK for veterinary use. However, a veterinary surgeon may prescribe a legally obtained human CBD product under the provisions of the prescribing cascade.
‘Administration of an unauthorised product containing CBD without a veterinary prescription is an offence under Regulation 8 of the VMR,’ the VMD states. ‘Companies supplying CBD products for human use in line with the requirements of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency must not indicate or recommend their products for use on animals.’
The VMD is now contacting UK CBD suppliers and manufacturers to inform them of the decision and to ensure products containing CBD satisfy the requirements of the VMR.
Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
