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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

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.