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Update on Bluetongue vaccination
Regulation change for Bluetongue-free areas

Bluetongue laws have changed for England and Scotland, and are set to change for Wales, to allow the use of approved inactivated vaccines in Bluetongue-free areas, on the basis of Veterinary Risk Assessments.

In England, the Bluetongue (Amendment) Regulations 2012 came into effect last month (24 August) to permit the use of inactivated Bluetongue vaccines in Bluetongue-free areas. A General Licence has been issued to protect against Bluetongue serotypes 1, 2, 4 and 8.

Scotland's Bluetongue (Scotland) Order 2012 came into effect at the same time as England and permits inactivated Bluetongue vaccinations against all serotypes within Bluetongue-free areas.

Next week (10 October), the Bluetongue (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 will come into effect, permitting the use of inactivated Bluetongue vaccinations in Bluetongue-free areas against all serotypes.

The use of voluntary vaccination against Bluetongue remain illegal in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Regulations for live attenuated vaccines remain unaltered, and must not be used due to the risk of reversion to virulence and subsequent disease spread. Live attenuated vaccines do not have marketing authorisations for use in the UK.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.