Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD)
The Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD) is part of Health Canada’s Health Products and Food Branch.
On this page:
What we do
The Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD) works to protect human and animal health and the safety of Canada's food supply. We do this by evaluating and monitoring the safety, quality, and effectiveness of veterinary drugs. We also set standards for food safety and promote the responsible use of veterinary drugs for pets and food-producing animals.
The directorate's employees come from a variety of backgrounds including veterinary medicine, biology, microbiology, toxicology, pharmacology, epidemiology, parasitology, animal sciences, chemistry, policy, finance, and administration.
Offices and Divisions
Our directorate has 5 divisions:
- Director General's Office
- Human Safety Division
- Quality Evaluation Division
- Clinical Evaluation Division
- Regulatory Operations and Policy Division
Director General's Office
The Director General’s Office manages the leadership, planning, administration, human resources and financial operations of the directorate.
Human Safety Division
The Human Safety Division evaluates new drugs to assess potential hazards to human health because of their use in food-producing animals. We also conduct health risk assessments for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). We establish mandatory withdrawal periods and maximum residue limits for veterinary drugs in food derived from animals, and develop warning statements for veterinary drug labels.
Our division oversees Veterinary Health Products (VHPs) for use in food and companion animals. We also develop associated policies relating to the human safety of veterinary drugs, including antimicrobial resistance.
We work closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and other federal government partners to protect food safety and public health.
Quality Evaluation Division
The Quality Evaluation Division examines the manufacturing, quality control, and packaging of new veterinary drugs sold in Canada. We also work to further the development and implementation of science-based policies and guidelines for veterinary drugs.
Clinical Evaluation Division
The Clinical Evaluation Division conducts pre-market, science-based evaluations and develops policies for the safety and effectiveness of veterinary drugs. We also ensure that labels have clear directions for use. Through the Emergency Drug Release Program, we authorize the sale of an unapproved veterinary drug to a Canadian veterinarian.
Our division is also responsible for post-market safety surveillance of veterinary drugs sold in Canada.
Regulatory Operations and Policy Division
The Regulatory Operations and Policy Division manages veterinary drug submissions and leads the strategic development of regulatory policies and international partnerships. For submission management, we oversee submission intake, processing, screening, and project coordination. We also provide regulatory advice, issue notices of compliance and develop operational processes to support efficient submission management.
Additionally, we ensure that the Veterinary Drugs Directorate's policies and procedures are up to date and that they align with departmental, federal, and international policies, acts and regulations. We advance our work via public consultations, regulatory amendments, and foster collaboration with domestic and international stakeholders. Through regulatory cooperation initiatives, we strengthen partnerships with international regulatory agencies and promote harmonization of regulatory practices and standards.
For more information
- Veterinary Drugs
- Fees for Veterinary Drugs
- Forms - Applications and submissions - veterinary drug products
- Veterinary drug consultations
- Buying and using drug and health products safely
Contact Us
You can reach us by email or telephone at:
E-mail: vdd.vetdrugs-medsvet.dmv@hc-sc.gc.ca
Telephone: 613-321-4239