New animal medicine adverse event reporting service launching May 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.