In this episode, Fiona chats with Donal Murphy, Deputy CEO and Head of International and Regulatory Affairs at the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH). NOAH is the trade organisation representing the UK animal health industry, and in this conversation, Donal shares a detailed look at how veterinary medicines are developed, regulated, monitored, and supplied. Donal, who spent his early career working in veterinary practice, provides details on the scale and structure of the UK and European animal health sectors, the responsibilities of regulators and manufacturers, the importance of pharmacovigilance, environmental considerations around parasiticides, and the challenges involved in maintaining reliable medicine and vaccine supply chains. Key take outs: Veterinary medicines are highly regulated: products must meet strict standards for safety, quality, and efficacy before they are authorised, with extensive data submitted to regulators such as the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). Reporting suspected adverse events matters: Pharmacovigilance relies on vets, farmers, and animal owners reporting concerns, including suspected lack of efficacy, side effects, human exposure, or residue issues, so regulators can identify trends and act when needed. Medicine supply chains are complex: Global manufacturing, batch testing, rising vaccine demand, Brexit, and emerging diseases all influence availability, making forward planning and ordering crucial for practices and farms. A must-listen for vets, farmers and animal owners if you want to know more about medicines in the UK! If you enjoyed this episode, please share with your friends, colleagues and network. It really helps us reach a wider audience - thank you! Notes: If you use, prescribe, or advise on veterinary medicines, please take the time to report any suspected adverse events or suspected lack of efficacy through the appropriate reporting routes. Your reports help strengthen product safety, improve guidance, and support the responsible use of medicines across the animal health sector. National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) https://www.noah.co.uk/ Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterinary-medicines-directorate European Medicines Agency (EMA) https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/about-us/who-we-are/veterinary-medicines
