27 January 2014

U.S. Senate passes Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act

The U.S. Senate has passed the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act (S. 1171) which will enable veterinarians to more easily perform life-saving services for animals in crisis. The bill clarifies existing law to allow veterinarians to transport and dispense vital medicines while practicing in the field. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has interpreted the Controlled Substance Act to prohibit veterinarians from dispensing drugs in any location in which the veterinarian has not registered with the DEA. As a result, vets with rural, mobile or ambulatory practices risk agency sanctions by transporting common veterinary drugs in their practice vehicles or by dispensing these drugs at locations other than a registered address. 

The Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act will clarify current law to ensure that veterinarians may legally transport, administer and dispense controlled substances in the field unfettered by agency penalties. The Act must now be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. 

The ASPCA commended the U.S. Senate earlier this month, commenting their Field Investigations and Response team frequently deploys its veterinary experts and works with a network of local veterinarians in the community to respond to natural disasters as well as other large-scale animal rescue operations and that the passing of this bill will enable these vets to treat animals more effectively and quickly. 

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