Veterinary Services: Northern Ireland
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's news story entitled Veterinary medicine supply in Northern Ireland beyond 2025, updated on 13 November 2025, how many veterinary medicine products are expected to be (a) withdrawn and (b) altered in Northern Ireland after 31 December 2025.
Answered by Dame Angela Eagle
Many businesses have already taken the steps to make the required adjustments so we are confident that the disruption to veterinary medicines supply will be limited.
After extensive stakeholder engagement, our current estimate is that between 10-15% of authorised products that are currently supplied will be discontinued. However, most of these discontinued products are not currently sold in Northern Ireland or are generics with multiple alternatives available. We have identified fewer than 20 products where discontinuation would pose significant risks to animal health and welfare if these risks were not addressed; the two schemes that we are introducing will serve to address those risks.
Although these figures may change as pharmaceutical companies take steps to adjust before the end of the year, we are not expecting to see a significant change and continue to monitor the situation closely.
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