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New RCVS guide to advise on Veterinary Medicines Regulations
The guide seeks to support veterinary professionals with understanding, interpreting and acting upon the changes that have been introduced.
The guide addresses some significant changes.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has launched a new guide, designed to support veterinary professionals with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMRs) 2024.

It follows the announcement of new rules and regulations from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) earlier this year.

The VMD’s VMRs 2024 set out controls on veterinary medicines and medicated feed. This includes rules on their marketing, manufacture, distribution, possession and administration.

The Windsor Framework agreement with the European Union means that these latest changes do not affect Northern Ireland, although the 2013 regulations and EU laws do still apply.

Following the publication of the 2024 VMRs, the RCVS has worked with VMD to integrate these new changes into its Code of Professional Conduct and its Practice Standards Scheme rules.

The RCVS Standard & Advice Team has also produced a guide that outlines and explains the changes introduced in the 2024 VMRs. The guide has been published in the RCVS website’s features section.

The guide seeks to support veterinary professionals with understanding, interpreting and acting upon the changes that have been introduced.

Included in the guide is an explanation of the new offences which relate to misuse of cascade and prescription fraud. It describes the requirements for written prescription and record-keeping as well as the rules on the prescribing of antibiotics.

Gemma Kingswell, RCVS head of standards, said: “The RCVS Standards & Advice Team has been busy integrating all of the changes from the new VMRs into our existing guidance as well as producing this excellent guide which briefly explains some of the crucial changes and which we hope will prove useful to members of the professions.

“However, we also recommend that veterinary professionals visit the VMD website and read the new VMRs in full.

“If you have any questions about the guide, the changes and how they apply to your day-to-day practice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team on advice@rcvs.org.uk.”

The RCVS guide to the 2024 VMR changes can be found here. The VMD has also published updated guidance in the government’s Veterinary Medicines Guidance.

Image © Shutterstock

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

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 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. 

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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.