The modernised Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR) will apply from Friday, May 17, with the aim of maintaining the UK as an attractive place to develop and market veterinary medicines.
The Veterinary Medicines Regulations of 2013 set out the controls on the marketing, manufacture, distribution, possession, and administration of veterinary medicines and medicated feed.
The Veterinary Medicines (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2024 were introduced in Parliament on the March 4 with the legislation made on April 25.
The regulations are a critical tool to help protect animal health, public health and the environment, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) said.
As part of the updated regulations, the UK government has increased restrictions on the use of antibiotics and antibiotics administered via feed.
Other regulations seek to reduce regulatory burden by facilitating the submission of one marketing authorisation application dossier and enabling common packaging to be used across the UK.
To provide stakeholders with time to ensure compliance with specific new or amended requirements, the legislation includes transitional provisions for some requirements, the VMD said.
“We continue to work with our stakeholders to help them implement the changes and to support their compliance with the regulations,” it said.
Senior efficacy assessors
The VMD is seeking to recruit two senior efficacy assessors to work in the regulation of veterinary medicines.
The posts sit within the pharmaceuticals section of the authorisations division at the VMD, an arms-length body of the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The salary range is from £57,316 – £64,380 per annum with pension scheme.
The closing date for applications is May 28, 2024.
Those chosen for the roles will be responsible for the assessment of efficacy and target species safety data submitted in support of applications for the authorisation of pharmaceutical veterinary medicinal products.
Those interested must make their application via the UK government website under Civil Service Jobs.
