The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has welcomed the VMD’s draft Regulatory Science Strategy, which it sees as a positive and meaningful statement of intent to continue to take an evidence-based, forward looking and innovative approach to veterinary medicine authorisation and regulation.

The strategy vision is ‘To promote the scientific basis underlying the authorisation and regulation of veterinary medicines, ensuring the availability of products which support animal health whilst protecting public health and the environment’.

NOAH believes this approach will help secure a future for development, authorisation and regulation of veterinary medicines in the UK based on a rational, science based and flexible regulatory platform.

Dawn Howard, NOAH’s chief executive said: “We provided feedback on the objectives and strategic goals of the strategy followed by key points our sector consider to be important in the upcoming review of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, an important instrument to support the VMD Regulatory Science Strategy.

“Execution of this strategy will be a long-term objective and we have stressed that it will be important that VMD continues to consult with stakeholders regularly and proactively. NOAH would welcome more dialogue on this in the future as plans evolve.”