Recipient

Veterinary Medicines Directorate

First report 14 Nov 2024•Latest report 21 Nov 2024

Recipient record

Reports, concerns and published responses

Central government · Executive agency. This page brings together reports naming this recipient and response statements clearly connected to concerns raised in those reports.

Reports: 2
Published responses: 100%
Concerns addressed: 3
Stated actions: 5

Reports over time

Reports naming this recipient by issue year.

Evidence profile

Report topics

Share of this recipient’s reports compared with all other recipients.

100%published responses found

5stated actions described

Topic comparisons are not available in the current evidence snapshot.

Concerns and recipient responses

Statements from Veterinary Medicines Directorate linked to the concerns in each report. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

21 Nov2024
Inner South London
Concerns raised2
1. Use of veterinary medicines for suicide by humans
2. Availability of veterinary-only substances through illicit sources
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response 3
1. Action
  Contact the Association of Police Controlled Drugs Liaison Officers to discuss possible coordinated actions and opportunities to strengthen working relationships.
  Stated planned
2. Action
  Conduct risk-based inspections checking veterinary practices’ and wholesalers’ compliance, including controlled-drug storage, access and supply requirements.
  Stated completed
3. Action
  Produce and publish a blog article reminding veterinary professionals of their responsibilities for ordering, storing, supplying and using controlled drugs.
  Stated in progress
AI-generated summary

Edward John Youde Barnard · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Edward John Youde Barnard was found deceased in a hotel room on 9 January 2024 after taking a substance described as causing a fatal overdose, with the death concluded to be suicide. The principal concern was that a vulnerable young adult obtained a substance licensed for veterinary use from an illicit source, creating a potential emerging risk of its use in suicide.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Veterinary Medicines Directorate; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Use of veterinary medicines for suicide by humans
Wider context from the report
“On completion of the inquest, I was concerned that Edward, a vulnerable young adult, managed to come into possession of ████████ a substance which I understand from the Toxicology report, is only licensed for use on animals by qualified veterinary professionals. I infer from the Toxicology evidence and the fact that Edward was not a veterinary professional that he must have obtained the substance from an illicit source. I am concerned that if I do not make a report a potential emerging risk to life may slip past public attention unnoticed. I therefore make this report to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, whom I understand is the organisation responsible for licensing ████████ so that the Directorate is aware that the drug has been used for a suicidal purpose and to enable the organisation to examine any available preventive measures to reduce the risk of this suicide method occurring in future. I am also reporting this fatal incident to the Royal Society of Veterinary Surgeons to share the information with its members and to ensure that those to whom the drug is licensed are made fully aware of its potential to be used in the completion of suicide by humans. I also make the report to the Royal Society to take any available preventive measures to reduce the risk of this suicide method in future. ”
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Veterinary Medicines Directorate; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Availability of veterinary-only substances through illicit sources
Wider context from the report
“On completion of the inquest, I was concerned that Edward, a vulnerable young adult, managed to come into possession of ████████ a substance which I understand from the Toxicology report, is only licensed for use on animals by qualified veterinary professionals. I infer from the Toxicology evidence and the fact that Edward was not a veterinary professional that he must have obtained the substance from an illicit source. I am concerned that if I do not make a report a potential emerging risk to life may slip past public attention unnoticed. I therefore make this report to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, whom I understand is the organisation responsible for licensing ████████ so that the Directorate is aware that the drug has been used for a suicidal purpose and to enable the organisation to examine any available preventive measures to reduce the risk of this suicide method occurring in future. I am also reporting this fatal incident to the Royal Society of Veterinary Surgeons to share the information with its members and to ensure that those to whom the drug is licensed are made fully aware of its potential to be used in the completion of suicide by humans. I also make the report to the Royal Society to take any available preventive measures to reduce the risk of this suicide method in future. ”
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Contact the Association of Police Controlled Drugs Liaison Officers to discuss possible coordinated actions and opportunities to strengthen working relationships.

Verbatim wording from the response
“There is also an Association of Police Controlled Drugs Liaison Officers (ACDLO) who we have met previously. We have given them presentations on our remit and the checks we conduct during vet practice inspections. Following this report, I will contact them to discuss whether any further actions are possible in coordination with them and whether there are any opportunities to further strengthen our working relationships.”

Source location
Response from Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Page 3 · response
Published 26 November 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Conduct risk-based inspections checking veterinary practices’ and wholesalers’ compliance, including controlled-drug storage, access and supply requirements.

Verbatim wording from the response
“The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has also published very useful guidance online for controlled drugs where they state that whilst ████████ is not subject to safe custody requirements, it should be kept locked in a suitable controlled drugs cabinet when not in use. We echo that guidance and during inspections we ensure vets are aware that they are responsible for these products, that they are stored appropriately, and access is only given to persons they have authorised to have access.”

Source location
Response from Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Page 1 · response
Published 26 November 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Produce and publish a blog article reminding veterinary professionals of their responsibilities for ordering, storing, supplying and using controlled drugs.

Verbatim wording from the response
“We do provide guidance on the use and storage of veterinary controlled drugs on our website and are producing an article which we aim to publish shortly on our blog page reminding vets of their responsibilities when ordering, storing, supplying and using controlled drugs.”

Source location
Response from Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Page 1 · response
Published 26 November 2024
Open published response
14 Nov2024
Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton
Concerns raised3
1. Failure to verify the stated need for potentially lethal drugs through independent veterinary scrutiny
2. Lack of adequate controls over veterinary surgeons' access to potentially lethal drugs
3. Failure to prevent unaccompanied removal of potentially lethal drugs from the veterinary surgery
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions 1
1. Position
  The Home Office is responsible for controlled-drugs legislation, and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate cannot change it.
  Redirects responsibility
AI-generated summary

John Robert ELLIS · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

John Robert ELLIS, a veterinary surgeon experiencing personal, financial and work-related stress, died after self-administering a toxic quantity of a drug he had obtained by falsely claiming it was needed to euthanise a dog. The principal concern was that veterinary surgeons could access potentially lethal controlled drugs without adequate verification, scrutiny or safeguards against misuse.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Veterinary Medicines Directorate; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to verify the stated need for potentially lethal drugs through independent veterinary scrutiny
Wider context from the report
“Veterinary surgeons, such as the deceased, are able to easily access potentially lethal drugs, such as ████████ (which is a Schedule 3 Controlled Drug) without any adequate controls being put in place to prevent their misuse. The deceased in this case was able to invent a story to the effect that he needed the drug in order to carry out a home visit, the purported purpose of which was to euthanise a large dog. He was given 50ml of ████████ by his former employers, without any checks having first been made to verify his account of why it was needed and without scrutiny by another veterinary surgeon. He was allowed to walk out of the veterinary surgery unaccompanied, with the drug, which he then used to take his own life by means of an intravenous drip. ”
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Veterinary Medicines Directorate; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Lack of adequate controls over veterinary surgeons' access to potentially lethal drugs
Wider context from the report
“Veterinary surgeons, such as the deceased, are able to easily access potentially lethal drugs, such as ████████ (which is a Schedule 3 Controlled Drug) without any adequate controls being put in place to prevent their misuse. The deceased in this case was able to invent a story to the effect that he needed the drug in order to carry out a home visit, the purported purpose of which was to euthanise a large dog. He was given 50ml of ████████ by his former employers, without any checks having first been made to verify his account of why it was needed and without scrutiny by another veterinary surgeon. He was allowed to walk out of the veterinary surgery unaccompanied, with the drug, which he then used to take his own life by means of an intravenous drip. ”
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Veterinary Medicines Directorate; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to prevent unaccompanied removal of potentially lethal drugs from the veterinary surgery
Wider context from the report
“Veterinary surgeons, such as the deceased, are able to easily access potentially lethal drugs, such as ████████ (which is a Schedule 3 Controlled Drug) without any adequate controls being put in place to prevent their misuse. The deceased in this case was able to invent a story to the effect that he needed the drug in order to carry out a home visit, the purported purpose of which was to euthanise a large dog. He was given 50ml of ████████ by his former employers, without any checks having first been made to verify his account of why it was needed and without scrutiny by another veterinary surgeon. He was allowed to walk out of the veterinary surgery unaccompanied, with the drug, which he then used to take his own life by means of an intravenous drip. ”
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
The Home Office is responsible for controlled-drugs legislation, and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate cannot change it.

Verbatim wording from the response
“However, we should explain that the Home Office is responsible for the legislation regarding controlled drugs. That includes controlled drugs used for veterinary purposes and/or human use. The VMD has no regulatory powers to make changes to controlled drugs legislation.”

Source location
Response from Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Page 1 · response
Published 15 November 2024
Open published response

Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026

Reports, concerns and published responses

Reports over time

Concerns raised2

Use of veterinary medicines for suicide by humans

Availability of veterinary-only substances through illicit sources

Actions described in response An action is something this recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3

Concerns raised3

Failure to verify the stated need for potentially lethal drugs through independent veterinary scrutiny

Lack of adequate controls over veterinary surgeons' access to potentially lethal drugs

Failure to prevent unaccompanied removal of potentially lethal drugs from the veterinary surgery

Respondent positions A position is what this recipient says about the concern when it does not describe a specific action.1

Actions described in response 3

Respondent positions 1