For Veterinary Medicines Regulatory Authorities
Designed for National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), the VMRA-SAT evaluates maturity, identify gaps, and build the evidence base for targeted investment and reform
VMRA-SAT Tool and Regulatory Authorities
Veterinary medicines regulatory systems vary widely across countries in terms of scope, maturity, resources and legal authority. In many cases, regulatory responsibilities have expanded over time without a corresponding strengthening of institutional capacity, workforce skills or system-wide oversight. As a result, authorities may struggle to clearly understand how well their regulatory systems are functioning or where the most critical weaknesses lie.
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A Lack of Practical Diagnostic ToolsÂ
Many regulators lack a structured and practical method for assessing regulatory performance across all core functions. Existing assessments may be partial, focused on individual activities or driven by external requirements rather than internal learning. This makes it difficult to identify systemic issues, prioritise reforms, or track progress over time. Without a clear diagnostic framework, efforts to strengthen regulation risk being fragmented, reactive, or misaligned with actual needs.
From Diagnosis to Action
VMRA-SAT was developed to address these challenges by providing a structured, transparent, and practical means for regulators to assess their own systems. It fills an important gap by focusing specifically on veterinary medicines regulation, complementing broader assessments of veterinary services and legislative frameworks while providing function-level detail that supports targeted, evidence-based strengthening.
The outputs generated through VMRA-SAT provide a strong foundation for prioritised improvement planning. Rather than attempting to reform all areas at once, regulators can use assessment results to identify high-impact actions and sequence reforms in a realistic and manageable way. This supports more effective use of limited resources and helps ensure that reforms are grounded in evidence rather than assumptions.
VMRA-SAT also supports external engagement. Assessment results, when shared at the discretion of the country, can help structure dialogue with government decision-makers, development partners, and regional peers. The tool provides a common language for discussing regulatory maturity and capacity, reducing ambiguity and facilitating more productive conversations about support, investment and collaboration.
By offering a consistent and transparent framework, VMRA-SAT also supports longer-term tracking of progress. Repeat assessments allow authorities to monitor improvements over time, demonstrate results and reinforce a culture of continuous improvement. In this way, VMRA-SAT serves not only as a snapshot of current capacity, but as a practical instrument for sustained regulatory strengthening.
Pilot Country Experience
Pilot countries described VMRA-SAT as a practical, structured and evidence based tool that helps authorities understand their current capacity, identify gaps, prioritise improvements and develop concrete plans to strengthen veterinary medicines regulation.
Quotes from regulators that piloted the tool.
“A robust, practical and high impact tool for strengthening veterinary medicines regulatory systems.”
“VMRA-SAT helped us move from identifying challenges to actively planning solutions.”
“VMRA-SAT gave us a clear picture of where we stand as a regulatory authority.”
“VMRA-SAT enabled institutional strengthening and international alignment with global standards.”
“A structured framework for identifying gaps and opportunities to strengthen veterinary medicines regulation.”
“A simple yet powerful instrument to support countries in developing their veterinary medicines regulatory systems.”
Are You Ready to Start Your Self-Assessment?
VMRA SAT can be used by veterinary medicines regulatory authorities to conduct a structured self-assessment using one of two available formats.
- Authorities seeking a comprehensive, in-depth assessment across all functions, indicators and sub indicators should use the Desktop Complete Self-Assessment Tool. Access to the software and country data file can be requested by completing the online request form.
- Authorities wishing to carry out an initial or preparatory assessment can use the Web Version Preliminary Self-Assessment Tool, which provides a streamlined entry point and can be accessed directly by clicking the link to the online platform.
Both options support authorities to engage with the tool at a level appropriate to their needs and stage of regulatory development.
How the VMRA-SAT Assessment Works
Once the request is made, you will receive an email with a link to download the software and your country’s data file. Links to instructions on how to download and install the software (both Windows and MacOS) will also be included. Please ensure that you have the necessary permissions to download and install the software from your institution.
Please follow the installation instruction carefully and follow the guidance on how to upload your country’s data file.
Once you have installed and uploaded the data file successfully, please go to the training page - and complete the training provided. It is in your interest to undertake the training before starting to use VMRA-SAT.
The VMRA-SAT Manual takes you through the desktop VMRA-SAT and introduces you to the main features. After familiarising yourself with the tool, please undertake the training as it covers all aspects of using VMRA-SAT.
FAQs
VMRA-SAT is a structured self-assessment and benchmarking tool for veterinary medicines regulatory authorities. It helps authorities review their legal mandate, organisational arrangements, regulatory processes, workforce capacity and transparency in a systematic way.
The tool helps authorities identify what is already in place, where the main gaps are and what actions may be needed to strengthen the system over time. It provides a structured basis for reflection, priority setting and institutional development planning.
Pilot feedback shows that the tool is valued for helping authorities identify practical improvement actions, support honest self-reflection and provide a clearer basis for planning future development. Feedback also indicates that users see additional value in being able to compare progress and also saw value in opportunities for benchmarking and shared learning in the future.
The tool can support regulatory strengthening by helping authorities make sense of complex systems in a structured way. It can inform institutional development plans, support governance discussions, guide prioritisation and help authorities present a clearer case for reform and investment.
The evidence shows that some authorities may find a full self-assessment difficult if their systems are still at an early stage or if staffing and resources are limited. In these contexts, the content may still be useful as a reference point or checklist, even where a full exercise is not yet realistic. In order to address this and based on the feedback received, a new web-based preliminary self-assessment version has been created to cater for those that have resource challenges.
Yes. Even where a full exercise may not yet be practical, the tool can still be useful as a reference point or checklist for future system development. However, the new web-based preliminary self-assessment version should be accessible and usable by all as it is intended to be easier to use regardless of stage of development or resources.
The tool assesses eight core functions: national regulatory system governance; registration and marketing authorisation; pharmacovigilance; market surveillance and control; licensing of establishments; regulatory inspection; laboratory testing and batch release of biological products.
Yes. Pilot feedback highlights the importance of involving the right people across relevant functions and having enough internal coordination to gather evidence, review findings and agree priorities. Feedback also points to the value of engaging senior leadership in reviewing the outcomes.
The assessment produces a detailed maturity profile across all eight functions, identifying strengths and areas for improvement. Countries are encouraged to use this to develop an institutional development plan (IDP) that prioritises actions, sets timelines and supports resource mobilisation. The tool can be repeated periodically to track progress.
This is one of the most consistent concerns raised in the pilot phase. Discussion with pilot countries and survey analysis both show that many users found the exercise demanding, especially when balanced against other responsibilities or when documentation was difficult to assemble. In response to this feedback, a new web based preliminary tool was developed to provide a lighter starting point. Its purpose is to help authorities carry out a similar level assessment, identify gaps and consider readiness before deciding whether to complete the full VMRA SAT exercise.
Visit the VMRA-SAT website at www.vmra-sat.org, or contact the project team at feedback@vmra-sat.org.