Veterinary Medicine Health Situation Scheme

On 19 June 2025, the government published published ‘Protecting Animal Health: The Government’s Approach to Veterinary Medicines in Northern Ireland’.

To ensure that the needs of animal health and welfare can continue to be met, and veterinary surgeons can continue to access the medicines they need, the Government is introducing two schemes for sourcing medicines in NI;Northern Ireland; in accordance with the Windsor Framework, the Veterinary Medicine Health Situation Scheme and the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme.

These two schemes will work alongside each other to ensure that Northern Ireland veterinary surgeons and the animals under their care can continue to access the medicines they need, while ensuring compliance with the Windsor Framework.

This guidance sets out more detail on the Veterinary Medicine Health Situation Scheme which will permit the use of suitable alternative productsveterinary medicine authorised in the EU where the animal or public health situation so requires. The products that will be covered by the scheme, should the situation arise, will be published later in the year.

From 1 January 2026, new arrangements for placing veterinary medicines on the Northern Ireland market will apply. These differ from those applicable to Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland).

Veterinary Medicine Health Situation Scheme

The Government willis closely monitormonitoring the expected supply of products to Northern Ireland and willis be intensely engaging with industry throughahead toof the end of 2025.2025 and throughout 2026. Our assessment at present is that in the vast majority of cases, we expect vets, farmers and pet owners to continue to have access to the medicines they need, but that there remains a risk of disruption for a small number of critical products. Should issues arise, the Government is committed to ensuring Northern Ireland can access the veterinary medicines they need quickly.

Should the situation of animal or public health require, and cannot be sufficiently addressed by theauthorised cascademedicines, / Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme, the VMD may exceptionally permit the use of suitable alternative veterinary medicines from the EU,EU through a temporary authorisation of use.

Thisuse willunder bethe basedVeterinary onMedicine Health Situation Scheme. The Veterinary Medicines Health Situation Scheme provides an assessmentadditional ofroute theto likelyenable impactsproducts ofto disruptionbe onavailable in Northern Ireland in order to address animal or public health,health includingsituations. withThis regardsmay, tofor theexample, individualbe veterinarya medicine’smore criticalitysuitable route in cases where we are seeing or expect significant shortages to animalthe andextent publicit health;could andimpact the availabilityhealth ofsituation. identicalThis route will also be available for non-prescription products where we see or similarexpect alternativea authorisedneed products. to address an animal or public health situation.

The specificVMD will use a variety of sources including ongoing intensive stakeholder engagement, the observed use of the Special Import Scheme as well as known discontinuations, to identify when products may need to be coveredadded byto thisthe schemescheme. Where we see a need for use of the scheme, including but not limited to an increase in the use of the Special Import Scheme for a particular product, VMD will beconsider setwhether outthis product should be added to the situationVMHSS. relatedIn toaddition, animalwe welcome feedback from stakeholders where they have experienced or anticipate impacts on public or animal health arise.as Wea expectresult of a discontinued product. You can alert VMD to providesupply anissues updateby towardscompleting the end‘Report ofa theSupply year,Problem’ ifform. necessary,Only andmedicines authorised in goodthe timeEU, toincluding ensureEU continuityvaccines, ofare supplyeligible.

Products frommay 1be January.subject Theseto productsconditions which may include conditions relating to who can supply them and these will be stockedspecific to the product and suppliedstated inon Northernthe Ireland,permit that will be published. The permit will allow for asthe longuse asof therethe isproduct aby situationall relatingoperators towho animalmeet orthe publicconditions; healthit thatwill needsnot be specific to bea addressed.particular individual or business.

The listassessment ofby veterinarythe medicinesVMD will be keptbased underon reviewthe andfollowing updatedcriteria:

• The aslikely required.urgency Thisor couldneed meanfor the product is such that veterinaryinclusion medicineswill aremitigate takena offpotential theanimal list,health or public health issue, for instanceexample if athere marketingare authorisationsignificant isconcerns granted,about orpotential addedanimal tosuffering ifor evidencearound emergesantimicrobial thatresistance
• An thereauthorised product is not available in NI; in exceptional cases we may also consider where a particularproduct discontinuationis orauthorised significantin shortageNorthern whichIreland, couldbut havethe detrimentalavailable impactspack onsize(s) are not sufficient to address any animal or public health. 
  health situation
• The VMD has sufficient information to carry out the necessary benefit: risk assessment

FurtherA guidancepermit for each product covered by this scheme will be published on Products available via the rulesVeterinary andMedicine requirementsHealth relatingSituation toScheme (VMHSS) - GOV.UK should the supplysituation related to animal or public health arise. These products may be stocked and usesupplied ofin theseNorthern Ireland for as long as the animal or public health situation requires.

The list of veterinary medicines will be madekept availableunder shortly.review and updated as required, with products added and removed as the health situation necessitates.

Reporting shortageshortages

The VMD encourages vets, wholesale dealers and retailers to report instances where veterinary medicines are unavailable due to manufacturing or supply issues.

Marketing Authorisation Holders are reminded that if they are unable to supply medicines to any part of the UK, including Northern Ireland, (for example due to a product shortage or discontinuation) this must be be reported to the VMD as as soon as possible.

VMD will be closely monitoring the supply of veterinary medicines into Northern Ireland. We will use a variety of sources including ongoing industry engagement, the Special Import Scheme as well as known discontinuations, to identify when products might benefit from inclusion in the scheme.