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Plowright Prize nominations open
The recipient will be awarded £75,000 to support their work in the field.
The prize recognises an individual in the field of infectious diseases in animals.

Nominations for RCVS Knowledge's biennial Plowright Prize, awarded for significant contributions to the eradication of infectious diseases, have opened.

Offering £75,000 to an individual working in Europe or the Commonwealth, the Plowright Prize is given in memory of eminent veterinary virologist Walter Plowright and Dorothy Plowright, his wife. 

The prize is given to an individual who has made a significant impact on the control, management and eradication of infectious diseases of animals, and the prize money is intended to support the recipient's ongoing work in the field. Eligible activity must demonstrate animal, humanitarian or economic benefit. 

Nominations must be made by 31 March 2022, and those eligible for nomination are veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and research scientists. Those nominated may be working in a researching setting, academia, practice, government, industry or a related sector. The prize is not open to organisations.

The judging panel for the prize consists of representatives from the RCVS, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Organisation for Animal Health, Pirbright, The Royal Society and the Microbiology Society. 

Nominators must notify the nominee of their intention to submit and jointly complete the nomination form. Individuals may not nominate themselves. Full criteria for the prize can be found here. 

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

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News Shorts
Bluetongue RZ extended across Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced an extension to a Bluetongue Restricted Zone that is in place in south-west Scotland.

From 3 October, the Restricted Zone will be extended to cover the whole of Scotland. The Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA) says this is in response to further disease spread, as well as simplify trading conditions ahead of the autumn.

Since the whole country will share a disease status, it will no longer be necessary to have a movement license to move susceptible livestock around the country. Restrictions on germinal products remain.

As of 1 October 2026, there were 1,979 cases of BTV-3 in England, 389 cases in Wales and 40 cases in Scotland.