Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-31)

From 1 January 2026 two routes will be available to support the supply of veterinary medicines in NI, the Veterinary Medicine Health Situation Scheme and the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme.

On 19 June 2025, the government published its paper on ’Protecting Animal Health: The Government’s Approach to Veterinary Medicines in Northern Ireland’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/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 in accordance with the Windsor Framework, the Veterinary Medicine Health Situation Scheme and the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme.

These two routes 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.

This guidance sets out more detail on the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme (VMIMS).

From 1 January 2026, new rules for placing veterinary medicines on the Northern Ireland market apply.

Veterinary medicines must be authorised for use in the relevant species and indication. However, recognising that this is not always possible, exceptions exist where there is a clinical need, as set out in Articles 112-114 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6.

Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme (VMIMS)

The VMIMS will work within the ‘cascade’ (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-cascade-prescribing-unauthorised-medicines)as set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/6. Under the cascade, Northern Ireland veterinary surgeons are able to prescribe and use medicines not authorised in Northern Ireland to avoid unacceptable suffering, as an exception to the normal rules, when no authorised medicines for an indication are available.

Prescribing decisions in accordance with the cascade should be made on a case-by-case basis. The steps of the cascade, as set out in the above guidance, must be followed.

The VMIMS removes the requirement to obtain a certificate to permit the movement of veterinary medicines authorised in Great Britain to Northern Ireland that would apply from 1 January 2026.

In accordance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published a certificate (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6904b6ea14e0c1d9784174ae/NI_VMIMS_certificate.pdf) (PDF, 97.8 KB, 2 pages) which allows for any movement of a veterinary medicine from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the cascade. Under the VMIMS, this replaces the system of veterinary surgeons applying for specific certificates on a case-by-case basis.

The VMIMS has been designed to allow veterinary surgeons in Northern Ireland to continue to access prescription-only medicines (POM-Vs) authorised in Great Britain should the clinical need be unable to be met through Northern Ireland authorised veterinary medicines or medicines available under the other steps of the cascade.

The following criteria must be met to import a medicine from Great Britain to Northern Ireland via the VMIMS:
- There must not be any authorised and available veterinary medicine in Northern Ireland or the EU, as described below under ‘Prescribing medicines under the VMIMS’
- The veterinary medicine must be supplied into Northern Ireland from Great Britain and hold a current Marketing Authorisation (MA) in Great Britain
- The veterinary medicine must not be an immunological veterinary medicine
- The veterinary medicine must be supplied for the purpose of administration under the cascade as set out in Articles 112, 113 and 114 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6
From 1 January 2026, veterinary surgeons obtaining a medicine from Great Britain under the VMIMS will not need to obtain a Special Import Certificate or other approval.

Considerations when deciding to use the Cascade/VMIMS

The VMIMS does not change expectations on vets in determining and recording clinical decision making when prescribing under the cascade (see the Record keeping section) (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-cascade-prescribing-unauthorised-medicines#record-keeping). Vets should continue to work down the cascade hierarchy to determine the appropriate product for the animal and condition presented, and record this in patient records as now: Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons (https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/code-of-professional-conduct-for-veterinary-surgeons/supporting-guidance/clinical-and-client-records/) (Section 13). Vets will be best placed to determine the specific needs of their patients and have a broad clinical discretion as to whether the use of the VMIMS is justified, but may wish to consider the following when making their determination:

Individual characteristics

If you judge a particular animal’s characteristics, such as age, general condition or known sensitivity to a particular substance, to present unacceptable risks and to contra-indicate the use of authorised products, you could conclude that no suitable authorised product existed and consider other treatments.

Chronic infections

If a condition persists following treatment with an authorised product, you may consider that there is no authorised treatment for that particular case, and that further use of medicines containing substances in the same chemical group is not appropriate.

Unavailability of product

If a product cannot be obtained despite a thorough search and in a reasonable time, you may conclude that in these circumstances it does not exist. You may use the cascade/VMIMS route to identify a suitable alternative. However, there may be cases where urgency dictates you use whatever is to hand, whether authorised or not. We publish details of supply issues (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/known-supply-problems-with-animal-medicines) which have the potential to cause animal welfare issues and provide information on alternative products, where possible.

If you cannot obtain authorised products from your usual wholesaler, you may issue a written prescription for the animal owner to use with another supplier.

Animal owner considerations

You may conclude that an animal owner, perhaps due to age or disability would have difficulties in accessing or administering the authorised product. In the interest of animal welfare and treatment compliance you could consider an alternative treatment under the cascade.

Prescribing medicines under the VMIMS

If no veterinary medicine authorised in Northern Ireland covers the relevant species or indication, or is unavailable, veterinary surgeons based in Northern Ireland should consider if there is:
- an authorised veterinary medicine available in the EU as set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/6 Article 112, Article 113 or Article 114
- a medicine authorised for human use in Northern Ireland or the EU as set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/6 Article 112, Article 113 or Article 114, or
- an extemporaneous preparation as set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/6 Article 112, Article 113 or Article 114
Where this is not the case, veterinary surgeons can obtain veterinary medicines from Great Britain using the VMIMS without the need to apply for a Special Import Certificate, unless if concerns an immunological product.

Veterinary surgeons can also source medicines from anywhere outside of the UK, using the processes set out in ‘Import of Veterinary Medicinal Products authorised for use in another EU Member State or any other third country’ below.

Sourcing medicines under the VMIMS

Veterinary surgeons in Northern Ireland may source veterinary medicines under the VMIMS either:
- Directly from Manufacturing Authorisation Holders and wholesale dealers based in Great Britain; or
- Via wholesale dealers based in Northern Ireland
There will be no changes to licensing requirements for wholesale dealers supplying veterinary medicines under the VMIMS.

Limited quantities of VMIMS veterinary medicines may be held in stock by veterinary surgeons in Northern Ireland. The amount held should be justified by the clinical need. These medicines should not be used as a first-choice treatment and their use is subject to the case-by-case assessment in accordance with the cascade provisions. Veterinary surgeons should keep up to date with new authorisations.

Advertising and promotions

As veterinary medicines supplied under the VMIMS hold a Great Britain licence, they should only be advertised in Great Britain. This does not preclude legitimate interactions and communications of non-promotional nature that may be required as regards the supply of medicines, such as pharmacovigilance.

Import of Veterinary Medicinal Products authorised for use in another EU Member State or any other third country

Veterinary surgeons in Northern Ireland will continue to need a Special Import Certificate to import, use or hold any medicine used under the cascade that is not authorised for veterinary use in Northern Ireland from outside the United Kingdom, including the EU or any other third country. This excludes any products listed on the Veterinary Medicine Health Situation Scheme - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/veterinary-medicine-health-situation-scheme).

Importation of vaccines into Northern Ireland from outside of the EU (including Great Britain)

You will continue to need to apply for a Special Import Certificate to import, use or hold any vaccines that are not authorised for veterinary use in Northern Ireland from anywhere outside Northern Ireland.

Applications for vaccines from Great Britain and from outside of the EU will only be approved if the conditions of Article 110 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6 are met.

Details of the vaccines that are permitted to be used in Northern Ireland under Article 110 are available on the SIS Portal. (https://www.vmd.gov.uk/business/register/apply-for-a-special-import-certificate)

Reporting shortage

The VMD encourages wholesale dealers 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 Northern Ireland (for example due to a product shortage or discontinuation) this must be reported to the VMD as soon as possible via the link below:

Report a supply problem with a veterinary medicine - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-a-supply-problem-with-a-veterinary-medicine).