Enforcement
Ensuring compliance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations to protect public health, animal welfare and the environment
How we work to improve compliance
Together we can make the difference
Proportionate
Any action we take will be representative of the determined risk
Consistent
Similar non-compliance will be dealt with in a similar way
Transparent
Clear guidance that sets out the defined requirements
We have a number of tools at our disposal to tackle non-compliance
Advisory or warning letters
We seek to advise and instruct individuals or companies on their responsibilities under the VMR wherever possible.
Education is a key tool help improve compliance and protect law-abiding business.
Improvement or Seizure notices
For persistent or higher-risk cases, we can serve notices requiring change. Failure to comply with an improvement notice is an offence.
Our inspectors have the power to seize anything purporting to be an illegal veterinary medicine.
Cautions and prosecutions
High-risk cases (such as those involving food producing animals, antibiotics, controlled drugs and fraud) may be considered for prosecution and referred to the Crown Prosecution Service, or the Sherriff in Scotland.
The Police can also issue cautions for offences under the VMR and other legislation, such as the Fraud Act 2006.
We also tackle those who market non-medicinal veterinary products as medicines, either by the way such products are presented, or by the active ingredients they contain.
The VMR sets the definition of a veterinary medicine as;
- Any substance or combination of substances presented as having properties for treating or preventing diseases in animals; or
- Any substance or combination of substances that may be used in, or administered to, animals with a view either to restoring, correcting, or modifying physiological functions by exerting a pharmacological, immunological, or metabolic action, or to making a medical diagnosis.
We work alongside other enforcement bodies such as the Police, Border Force, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Trading Standards, and the Health and Safety Executive.
Prescription misuse - let's tackle it
It is against the law
It is against the law for anyone to alter a written prescription without permission from the person who signed it. If you believe someone has done this, you should report it to us to investigate.
More common than you
think
We had over 800 reports in 2022. Cases include:
- dates and expiry dates
- number of repeats allowed
- quantity of medication
- type of medication
We all have a part to play
Vets, retailers and the VMD can all work together to prevent, spot, report, and act against fraud.
We have prepared text that you can include on the back of prescriptions, or as a separate sheet, to inform your clients of their responsibilities.