RISING regulatory costs could make it increasingly difficult to maintain and launch some veterinary medicines in Europe, potentially affecting future treatment choice for veterinarians, farmers and animal owners, according to new industry analysis.

The findings are being presented at Access VetMed’s 24th General Managers Meeting in Co Tipperary, hosted by Duggan Veterinary Group. The event brings together representatives from 31 member companies and almost 80 veterinary medicines professionals and marks the association’s first General Assembly in Ireland in more than 20 years.

Access VetMed’s analysis does not show an overall decline in veterinary medicine marketing authorisations. Between May 2025 and May 2026, Europe recorded a net increase of 576 authorisations, with generics and hybrids showing the strongest growth.

Instead, concern centres on the rising cost of bringing medicines to market and keeping existing products available. A survey of Access VetMed members found that during 2025, regulatory fees increased by an average of 16%, variation fees by 12.9%, other regulatory and IT costs by 15.6%, and pharmacovigilance budgets by 22%.

According to the association, these costs are rising faster than both EU inflation and member companies’ turnover, with small and medium-sized enterprises disproportionately affected.

Economically unviable

The longer-term concern is that increasing costs could make some products economically unviable, particularly medicines serving smaller markets, less common conditions and minor species, potentially reducing treatment choice.

Medicine availability

Xavier Molins, Chair of Access VetMed, said the figures presented a “more nuanced picture”, with no overall decline in authorisations but a sustained increase in the resources required to maintain medicines on the market.

He said regulation must continue to guarantee high standards of quality, safety and efficacy, while remaining proportionate, efficient and economically sustainable.

Donal Duggan, Managing Director of Duggan Veterinary Group, said Ireland’s agricultural and agri-food sectors made animal health particularly important, adding that decisions made at European level ultimately affect veterinary practices, farmers, animal owners and the wider food chain.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon TD will open the meeting, while Dr David Murphy, Director of Veterinary Sciences at the Health Products Regulatory Authority, will participate in a Q&A on veterinary medicine availability and competitiveness.

Access VetMed represents European generic and added-value veterinary medicines companies, whose members collectively support more than 6,000 direct jobs.