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Massive donation to GALVmed
Bill Gates donates to livestock medicine charity

Founder of Microsoft and pioneer of the personal computer Bill Gates has made a massive donation to an Edinburgh-based livestock medicine charity. The Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) is to receive a donation of £31.2 million ($50 million US) from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and further funding from the British Government's Department for International Development (DFID).

The existence of the donation was announced by Mr Gates at the 35th session of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)'s Governing Council, held on February 23rd 2012 in Rome.
Welcoming the announcement, Interim Chief Executive of GALVmed

Professor Peter Wells said “Across the developing world, livestock are an essential means of funding the most basic needs including food, education and healthcare. We are working to protect livestock and save human lives and livelihoods by making livestock vaccines, diagnostics and medicines accessible and affordable to the millions in developing countries for whom livestock is a lifeline. This announcement today will take us much further in achieving our goal.”

More information about GALVmed and their activities is available at their website.

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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.