The VMD (Veterinary Medicines Directorate) has published a Statement of Intent on UK Veterinary Vaccine Availability, setting out a five-year cross-sector approach to address vaccine supply challenges and support innovation in animal health.
Veterinary vaccine availability is critical for ensuring our food supply remains resilient to the threat of animal disease outbreaks.
Through the publication of the , the VMD demonstrates a commitment to working alongside the agricultural sector to support farmers having access to the vaccines they need.
Just-in-case approach
Currently, the UK's model of vaccine availability operates on a just-in-time basis for manufacture and supply.
This new framework recognises the need to safeguard against future risks and calls for a transition to a just-in-case approach, prioritising preparedness and mitigating potential impacts on both animal and human health.
The framework also recognises that the availability of effective veterinary vaccines is not just a matter of animal welfare, but underpins public health, food security, and economic resilience.
This is something the NFU has repeatedly highlighted, particularly with the annual threat of avian influenza and the risk of diseases such as Foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever coming to our shores.
鈥淰accines are a vital tool for farmers in maintaining the health and welfare of their animals and protecting food security.鈥�
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
Vital tool
Welcoming the framework, NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: 鈥溁始一藈elcomes this important initiative from the VMD and looks forward to contributing to its delivery.听
鈥淰accines are a vital tool for farmers in maintaining the health and welfare of their animals and protecting food security.鈥�
皇家华人has lobbied for a long-term action plan for effectively managing the ongoing threat from animal diseases and is clear that vaccinations have a key role to play in the wider strategy.
In its Blueprints for Growth, the NFU calls on the government to 鈥楨stablish a vaccine fund to subsidise or cover the cost of emergency vaccination, with priority given to exotic notifiable diseases. This must be underpinned by a vaccine strategy to improve access to vaccines for all classes of diseases.鈥�
Multi-stakeholder action
The Statement of Intent outlines four strategic themes and their associated workstreams:
| Improve supply and uptake | Support innovation | Review manufacturing landscape听 |
| Address knowledge gaps | Identify and highlight market needs | Address knowledge gaps |
| Enhance supply chain transparency | Invest in vaccine R&D | Enhance flexibility |
| Safeguard supply | Facilitate vaccine innovation | 听 |
| Facilitate sourcing of alternative products | 听 | 听 |
| Enhance market pull | 听 | 听 |
| Working in partnership | |||
| Create a five-year multi-action stakeholder UK action plan | Raise awareness | Collaborate internationally | Support multilateral agencies |
Work in partnership for veterinary vaccines
Collaboration among diverse stakeholders is essential for developing a comprehensive UK Action Plan to enhance veterinary vaccine availability and effectiveness.
- Stakeholders include government, pharmaceutical companies, distributors, academia, and animal health sectors, farmers and vets.
- A 5-year multi-stakeholder UK Action Plan will be developed with governance structures and key performance indicators.
- Priority activities will begin immediately to address urgent vaccine availability issues.
- Awareness campaigns will highlight the importance of veterinary vaccines in animal health and food security.
- International collaboration is necessary to understand global vaccine initiatives and enhance UK efforts.
- Support for multilateral agencies will amplify UK actions in vaccine access and availability.
Improve supply and uptake of vaccines
This theme focuses on addressing current supply issues and establishing a more resilient future supply chain for veterinary vaccines.
- Research will identify causes and scale of existing supply issues, guiding short- and long-term solutions.
- Critical vaccines will be defined to prioritise supply chain management and improve forecasting.
- Enhanced communication throughout the supply chain will expedite awareness of shortages and guide product use.
- Stakeholder dialogue platforms will facilitate collaboration among pharmaceutical companies, distributors, and veterinary professionals.
- Mechanisms to safeguard supply of critical vaccines will be reviewed, including shortage prevention plans.
- Awareness of alternative product sourcing routes will be increased to mitigate supply interruptions.
Support innovation in vaccine development
Facilitating the development of new veterinary vaccines and technologies is a long-term goal requiring targeted activities and funding.
- Current therapeutic gaps and future disease challenges will be mapped to prioritise vaccine development needs.
- Stakeholder engagement will help shape target product profiles and enhance communication on disease forecasting.
- Investment in vaccine R&D will be optimised to stimulate product pipelines and scalable production.
- Regulatory frameworks will be adapted to support innovation while ensuring product quality and safety.
- An innovation hub will be created to keep regulatory guidance aligned with technological advancements.
Review manufacturing landscape for vaccines
Evaluating the UK manufacturing landscape aims to identify opportunities for growth and resilience in vaccine production.听
- Current scope and scale of UK veterinary vaccine manufacturing will be assessed, including infrastructure and workforce capabilities.
- Barriers to increasing UK manufacturing will be identified, along with potential incentives for growth.
- Mechanisms to enhance production flexibility will be explored, including alignment with human vaccine manufacturing.
- Future opportunities for reciprocal pivoting between human and veterinary vaccine production will be investigated.
For more detail on the strategy, visit:
