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By Alice McFarlane

Veterinarians want rules changed on medications

Vets say changes to regulations restrict access to important medications

Dec 1, 2025 | 2:00 PM

Canadian veterinarians are calling on Ottawa to streamline regulations as key animal medicines have become increasingly unavailable.

Tracy Fisher with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association says veterinarians no longer have access to 40 per cent of medications they once were able to use.

She says the loss of approved drugs poses animal welfare issues, as better treatments may not be available.

Fisher also says it affects the food system, as animals can get sick or die, causing costs to rise for farmers — who then have to pass those costs onto consumers.

Fisher says the issue lies with changes to Health Canada regulations in 2017.

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She says the agency imposed new inspection standards, requiring manufacturing facilities in other countries to be inspected by Canadian officials.

But she says manufacturers don’t want to pay to have those inspections, because Canada is a small market and they’ve already received approvals in other countries.

She says the change has resulted in more drugs becoming unavailable in Canada.

Fisher says the federal government should collaborate with international regulators, including those with the United States and Europe, to streamline approvals.

Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald says he’s met with veterinarians about the issue and will look at what the government can do.

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The Canadian Press