30 Jan 2026
Directorate insists it has protocols in place to prevent conflicts of interest from arising, following latest revelation linked to Librela and Solensia.
Allister Webb
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Image: Dyrefotografi.dk/ Adobe Stock
A UK regulator has defended its handling of two osteoarthritis (OA) drugs after admitting a staff member’s partner owns shares in their manufacturer.
The VMD has insisted it has protocols in place to prevent conflicts of interest from arising, following the latest revelation linked to Librela and Solensia.
But campaigners who want both products withdrawn from sale claimed the situation was “rapidly causing people to lose all faith” in the veterinary sector and its regulation.
A group, calling itself Librela Solensia The Truth UK, has written a letter to bodies including the VMD and RCVS, as well as senior politicians, to demand stronger action in connection with the drugs.
While their manufacturer, Zoetis, has repeatedly maintained confidence in them, critics allege many animals have already been harmed as a result of their use.
The new letter refers to a freedom of information request, the response to which Vet Times has also seen, in which the directorate admitted one of its employees “has a spouse with shares in Zoetis”.
The VMD said it could not comment on individual cases, but stressed that staff were required to declare conflicts of interest and “several checks and balances” were in place to ensure individuals who had made declarations were not involved in assessing product applications.
The directorate also claimed it had continuously monitored the drugs since their authorisation and was “confident that the overall balance remains positive”.
According to Zoetis, more than 34 million Librela doses and 11 million of Solensia have been distributed globally, as of December 2025.
A company spokesperson said it maintained full confidence in the safety and efficacy of both products, adding that no individual symptom or outcome was considered more frequent than rare (between one and 10 cases per 10,000 treated animals) or very rare (fewer than one per 10,000) under European Medicines Agency standards.
But the letter claims an independent analysis of Zoetis data found at least one in 110 pets would experience serious side effects. It also accused the VMD of quoting “artificially low” figures, later adding: “People in the UK deserve to be protected from such things.”
The letter’s release follows a court in New Jersey, US, dismissing a class action brought against Zoetis in relation to Librela.
The group argued that decision means affected pet owners now have “no option” other than to seek redress from clinicians and claimed those who have prescribed it could be in breach of the RCVS Code of Conduct.
The college has declined to comment on the letter, except to reiterate its previously stated position that it cannot investigate allegations of negligence. But the picture is further complicated by calls for action in relation to the latest Zoetis-manufactured OA products.
Canadian and European regulators have already approved the use of Lenivia, which Zoetis claims can relieve pain for three months through a single injection.
However, a separate campaign launched last autumn called for a halt to regulatory approvals of both Lenivia and its feline equivalent, Portela, to enable further investigations to take place.
