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Guest speaker for Royal College Day announced
Professor Sir David Spiegalhalter.

Sir David Spiegelhalter OBE is a renowned statistician and author. 

One of the most well-known experts on risk and data has been announced as the guest speaker for Royal College Day 2026.

Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter OBE will deliver his talk titled Communicating evidence and uncertainty in a trustworthy way, during the afternoon session on Friday, 3 July. 

An Emeritus Professor of Statistics at the University of Cambridge, Sir David is internationally renowned for his work on medical statistics and the public understanding of risk. 

RCVS president Professor Tim Parkin FRCVS, who selected Sir David for this year’s event, said: “I am delighted to have finally managed to encourage Sir David to speak on my invitation - this is not the first time I have tried! 

“His ability to make statistics relatable is something I have strived to do for my whole career. Understanding how important it is to be really clear about what the message is that you are trying to get across, how to do so without complexity but at the same time ensuring sufficient detail are presented is his real skill.

“As someone who has tried to influence policy making throughout my career, hearing Sir David talk about doing so in a world of uncertainty has enabled me to better communicate risk to those who are able to take action when provided that information in readily digestible formats.

“I know there will be something interesting and entertaining for everyone who attends - it will not be the same as a statistics lecture at veterinary school.”

Image (C) RCVS.

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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.  

Click here for more...
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.