Guidance

Record keeping requirements for veterinary medicines

Records that must be kept when supplying or administering veterinary medicines in the UK.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Published: 31 July 2013
• Last updated: 17 May 2024 — See all updates

The Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR) require records to be kept of the supply and administration of medicines in certain circumstances.

The full detail of record keeping requirements are stated in the VMR, regulations 17-24 (as amended).

The VMR explain what records must be kept; they do not specify a set procedure or system needed to meet these requirements.

All records must be durable, permanent and made available for inspection on request by a duly authorised person.

The records may be kept electronically. You should consider systems that fit best with your procedures.

Record keeping for food producing animals

Medicines records must be kept for food producing animals for at least 5 years in accordance with the VMR.

A vet who administers a veterinary medicine to a food-producing animal, must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, either enter the required information personally in the animal keeper’s records or give it to the keeper in writing, in which case the keeper must enter the information into the records.

Method of recording

There are publications available in which to record medicines administered to animals by farmers and other keepers of animals:

• Animal Health Distributors Association (AHDA) publish an Animal Medicines Record Book
• The Pig Veterinary Society also produces a Veterinary Medicines Record of Administration booklet
• The Fish Health Inspectorate produces an Aquatic Animal Medicine Record
• The National Bee Unit Bee record keeping card

Record keeping for horses

UK legislation defines horses as food-producing species. Owners and keepers are required to keep records of veterinary medicines given to horses that will enter the food chain. Owners or keepers must also keep records of all vaccinations given, in the horse’s passport.

Further information regarding the recording of veterinary medicines for horses is available.

Audit requirements

The VMR requires anyone involved in the retail or wholesale supply of POM-V and POM-VPS veterinary medicines to carry out an audit at least once a year.

Any person supplying veterinary medicines classified as NFA-VPS or AVM-GSL is not required to carry out an annual audit.

Published 31 July 2013
Last updated 17 May 2024 + show all updates

1. 17 May 2024

   Updated to reflect changes to the VMR.

2. 31 July 2013

   First published.