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VMD appoints new CEO
Pictured: Abigail Seager.
Experienced civil servant Abigail Seager will take over the role.

Yesterday (13 September) the VMD announced that it has appointed Abigail Seager as its new CEO.

Seager has previously held roles in the VMD including director of the authorisations, head of the EU exit and international office, and head of the general assessment and imports team. 

Seager's pre-VMD roles include deputy head of fisheries legislation for Defra, and roles within the Ministry of Justice. 

David Kennedy, Defra's general director for food, commented on the announcement in a government news release: "I’m very excited about this appointment.

“Abi is incredibly well placed to lead the organisation in the next phase. I look forward to working closely with Abi and VMD as they ensure veterinary medicines continue to be safe, together with growing their international business and leading our work on AMR.”

Abigail succeeds Professor Pete Borriello, who has held the post for 10 years. 

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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.