New Animal Medicine Adverse Event Reporting Service Launches 20 May 2026
Summary
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will launch a new digital adverse event reporting service for animal medicines on 20 May 2026, replacing a previously suspended service. Veterinary professionals, Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs), and animal owners will be able to report adverse events directly to the VMD through the new platform. Companies that receive adverse event reports from users must share those reports with the VMD within 30 days, maintaining their existing legal obligation to do so.
“From 20 May 2026, veterinary professionals, Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs), and animal owners will be able to report adverse events directly to the VMD through the new service.”
Veterinary pharmaceutical companies and marketing authorisation holders should note that their existing legal obligation to report adverse events to the VMD within 30 days remains unchanged with this new service launch. Firms should update their pharmacovigilance Standard Operating Procedures to incorporate the new direct-reporting pathway as an alternative submission method and ensure internal tracking systems can accommodate reports received via both the company route and the VMD portal from 20 May 2026 onwards.
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What changed
The VMD is introducing a new digital adverse event reporting service that launches on 20 May 2026, replacing a previously suspended reporting tool. The service will allow veterinary professionals, SQPs, and animal owners to submit adverse event reports directly to the VMD online, with enhanced guidance to improve report quality and integration with existing pharmacovigilance processes. The beta version will accept user feedback for further improvements.
Affected parties—including veterinary professionals, SQPs, and animal owners—should note that direct reporting to the VMD becomes available on 20 May 2026, offering an alternative to reporting through medicine manufacturers. Companies remain legally required to forward any adverse event reports they receive to the VMD within 30 days, regardless of the new portal's availability.
What to do next
- Companies receiving adverse event reports must share those reports with the VMD within 30 days
Archived snapshot
Apr 24, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
News story
New animal medicine adverse event reporting service launching May 2026
The new adverse event reporting service from the VMD will replace the previous suspended service.
From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate Published 22 April 2026
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is pleased to announce it will soon be launching a new digital service for reporting adverse events associated with animal medicines.
The service will go live on 20 May 2026 and will replace the previous reporting tool.
What this will mean for you
From 20 May 2026, veterinary professionals, Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs), and animal owners will be able to report adverse events directly to the VMD through the new service.
Adverse events include any unexpected or harmful reactions in animals following the use of an animal medicine, as well as cases where a medicine appears not to work as expected.
Improvements made
The new adverse event service will contain additional guidance on how best to complete a high-quality report. This will provide a more complete picture from the outset of the adverse event report.
The service will integrate with existing pharmacovigilance processes to provide more efficient and comprehensive safety oversight.
The service will be released as a beta version with the ability for users to give feedback. Following this feedback, further system improvements will be made where possible.
Why reporting matters
Reporting adverse events helps the VMD and medicine manufacturers identify and respond to potential safety concerns, protecting animal health and welfare across the UK. Every report, however minor it may seem, contributes to a fuller picture of how medicines are performing in practice.
Submitting reports now
You can still submit adverse event reports directly to the company that is responsible for the medicine, who have a legal responsibility to provide these reports to the VMD. This will still be an option when the VMD’s adverse event reporting portal is launched.
You can make a report now by:
- telling your vet
- using the contact details on the leaflet that came with the medicine - if the product is an approved animal medicine (if you do not have the leaflet, search for the company also known as the MA holder)
- contacting the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) - if an animal has been given a human medicine or a medicine that is not approved for use in animals If you report a problem to the company, they must share that report with the VMD within 30 days.
To report a problem if an animal was given human medicine or medicine that is not approved for use in animals, email adverse.events@vmd.gov.uk to request a form.
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Published 22 April 2026
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