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Guidance

Contact VMD

How to contact the VMD for specific services or enquiries.

From:
Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Published
22 October 2021
Last updated
18 May 2026 — See all updates

VMD online contact form

You can use our online contact form to get in touch with the VMD.

You can use it for:

  • general enquiries
  • complaints
  • Freedom of Information (FOI) requests

Before you start

Before using the form, please make sure you’ve read the information below and checked to see if we’ve already published information that can answer your query, including what is not within our remit.

Using the contact form

You should clearly title your query by subject area to help us allocate it to the right team.

We aim to respond to general enquiries, complaints and Freedom of Information requests within 20 working days, or sooner where possible.

Sometimes we may need longer to respond, for example if you are asking for complex information or we need to involve a third party. If we are unable to respond within this timescale, we will let you know.

We publish our monthly performance against our service standard on our webpage General Enquiries Service Standard Data.

Start now

We may not respond if your query:

  • contains offensive language
  • has already been answered in a previous reply to you
  • is illegible
  • is selling or promoting a product
  • is for information only

What we expect

You will be treated with courtesy and fairness at all times - we would hope, too, that you will be courteous and fair in your dealings with our staff at all times. We have a zero-tolerance approach to behaviour that puts staff safety or service delivery at risk.

Making a complaint

We can help with complaints about our service, the way we operate, or how an application for marketing authorisations has been handled.

If you wish to contact us regarding a complaint, follow our complaints procedure.

Speak to someone at the VMD

The best way to contact us is via the new contact form – this will enable us to respond to your query as quickly as possible.

If you would like to speak to someone you can ask for a call back when submitting your query via the contact form. However, you may receive an email response if we can fully address your enquiry via email, for example we may want to provide links to guidance.

If you need help completing the form, you can call 01932 336911 between 9:30am and 4pm Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays.

Please note, when calling the VMD, this is not a switchboard service, the call handler will not be a specialist, and will not be able to transfer your call.

VMD Quarterly Bulletin

We distribute a quarterly bulletin of all major VMD news stories and updates to our Gov.uk pages to a central mailing list. To register for this bulletin, please use our contact form above.

Media enquiries

Please direct any media enquiries related to the work of the VMD to newsdesk@defra.gov.uk.

Importing and Exporting

Only authorised persons can import or export veterinary medicines. The special import, export, and batch release schemes are all digital services and we only deal with these queries by email. Please do not call us about matters in relation to any of these schemes:

Online only services:

Managing your Marketing Authorisations and submitting applications

Application management is a digital service and we only deal with queries by email to ensure the security and confidentiality of commercial information. Submit your enquiry to s.response@vmd.gov.uk.

If you are a Marketing Authorisation holder, you can report a current or foreseen UK supply problem with one of your medicines using this form.

Medicines record keeping

  • Guidance on Record keeping when supplying or using a veterinary medicine, including horses

Paying an invoice, including residues surveillance

Premises registered or certified by VMD

Prescriptions and dispensing

Record keeping, storage and disposal of Controlled Drugs

  • Information on prescribing, supplying, storage and disposal of Controlled drugs and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations as they relate to veterinary medicines

Report a problem with an animal medicine or animal exposed to human medicine

Anyone can report an unexpected reaction to an animal medicine or in an animal exposed to a human medicine, even if it is a listed known possible side effect. You can also report it if you suspect the veterinary medicine hasn’t worked. You can report a problem by:

  • using the VMD’s online reporting service
  • telling your vet 
  • contacting the marketing authorisation holder, or the holder’s local representative - their contact details are on the leaflet that came with the medicine

You only need to report a problem once, either to the VMD, your vet or the company.

If you report a problem to the company, they must share that report with the VMD within 30 days.

Contact the VMD by using the online contact form at the top of this page if you are unable to report using this service, tell your vet or contact the company.

Help with VMD online services

What the VMD cannot help with

If you’re not sure which Defra department you need, go to Contact Defra - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Updates to this page

Published 22 October 2021
Last updated 18 May 2026 show all updates

  1. Changes made to add a new contact option for VMD using the online contact form.

  2. Update to our expectations of what and how we will handle enquiries.

  3. Added contact details for media enquiries.

  4. Service standard for responding to general enquiries changed to 20 working days.

  5. Reviewed with additional links and minor updates to 'Speak to someone at the VMD'.

  6. First published.

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