EMA and animal health practitioners, or veterinarians, work together to improve animal welfare.
Veterinarians are on the front line in preventing and controlling animal and zoonotic diseases, that can spread from animals to people.
They can identify potential risks through surveillance. They can also guide preventive measures to protect animal and public health.
Furthermore, veterinarians work to reduce the risks of antimicrobial resistance.
This partnership is key to upholding a responsible approach in the use of veterinary medicines.
EMA makes several resources available to veterinarians to support their daily practice.
These resources include websites that enable searching for trusted information and reporting suspected adverse events.
They also feature quick, easy-to-follow guides on antibiotic prescription.
In addition, EMA hosts events for veterinarians in collaboration with the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe.
For more information on EMA's partners and networks, see:
The Veterinary Medicines information website contains up-to-date public information on:
This website is easily accessible via computer, smartphone, and tablet with access to the internet. It is translated into the 24 EU official languages, plus Icelandic and Norwegian.
Animal health practitioners, or veterinarians, can use the website to:
Watch the video below to see how to find information on veterinary medicines approved for use in the EU:
The Union Pharmacovigilance Database is a system that supports the recording of:
This database helps keep veterinary medicines safe.
EMA and national authorities continuously monitor whether animals that have received a vaccine or medication experience any side effects, also called adverse events.
This ensures that the benefits of veterinary medicines continue to outweigh their risks.
Anyone can report an unfavourable and unintended event in an animal, person or the environment following the use of a veterinary medicine.
However, animal health practitioners, or veterinarians, have an essential role to play. They are often the first port of call for animal owners in terms of reporting medicine-related side effects that their animals experience.
Select the expandable panels below to read about the steps necessary to report suspected adverse events.
If you want to report adverse events in animals, you need to include the following information:
You are encouraged to provide as much information as possible in the report.
The appropriate authority can be:
Make sure to use the reporting format that the appropriate authority requires.
For details on where to report suspected adverse events, see:
Supporting documentation can include:
After you have submitted your report to the appropriate reporting authority, make sure to:
Marketing authorisation holders have a legal obligation to continuously monitor adverse event reports.
EudraVigilance Veterinary is the European database that centralises all reports of suspected adverse events in animals.
When marketing authorisation holders identify new risks, competent authorities can take necessary regulatory measures.
These measures include adding new adverse events or warnings to the product information, and publishing information for animal health practitioners.
Very rarely, national competent authorities or the European Commission can suspend veterinary medicines or withdraw them from the market until there are no longer safety concerns.
For more information, see:
Select the expandable panels below for frequently asked questions.
An adverse event is an unfavourable and unintended event in an animal, person or the environment that occurs:
following the use of a veterinary medicine, including off-label usage;
or following the use of a human medicine that has been administered to an animal.
It is also known as side-effect, adverse drug reaction or vaccine failure.
All suspected adverse events in animals and humans following the use of veterinary medicines, including off-label use; this also refers to adverse events already stated in the product information.
Any suspicion that a veterinary medicine has not be effective.
Adverse events in people exposed to veterinary medicines or treated animals.
Environmental incidents, high product residues in foods and suspected transmission of infectious agents.
Suspected adverse events in animals after the use of human medicines.
A suspicion of an adverse event - it does not need to be investigated or confirmed.
Report suspected adverse events in all species of animals.
Report any observation of lack of efficacy of a veterinary medicine following its administration to an animal.
This is regardless of whether or not it is in accordance with the summary of product characteristics.
Report any unfavourable and unintended reaction to a veterinary medicine in any animal.
Report any noxious reaction in humans exposed to a veterinary medicine.
EMA promotes the prudent and responsible use of antibiotics in both animals and humans. This can lower the risk of bacteria becoming resistant - which is also referred to as antimicrobial resistance.
Animal health practitioners, or veterinarians, can check the categorisation of antibiotics in animals - that EMA's Antimicrobial Advice Ad Hoc Expert Group (AMEG) set up.
An infographic on the AMEG categorisation is available below, in multiple EU languages:
Veterinarians should also be mindful of possible restrictions in the use of antimicrobials for animals.
Please consult EMA's scientific advice for the:
For relevant EU legislation, see:
Reporting suspected adverse events in animals is key to ensuring safer medicines and healthy animals. Every report counts.
Ultimately, reporting suspected adverse events will also help public health and the environment.
Animal health practitioners, or veterinarians, are essential in reporting. They are in a unique position to observe adverse events when they occur. That is why animal owners and keepers should not hesitate to report via their veterinarian.
If you have information to report, provide as much as possible, and as quickly as possible. You do not need to determine if there is a problem with the veterinary medicine before submitting your report.
EMA's 'Veterinary medicines safety day' campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of reporting suspected adverse events.
The campaign includes a toolkit for veterinarians on how and when to report.
The toolkit features downloadable resources such as:
In 2025, the campaign took place on 8 April.
Find the campaign resources below.
Select the expandable panel below for a list of events and webinars that EMA and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) co-organised: