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E- Source An electronic
newsletter highlighting veterinary issues for |
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December 9, 2003 Volume 1, Number 2 |
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In This Issue · Bush Signs NVMSA · Perfect Pet Products Category of Links Perfect Pet Products Contact Us |
President
Bush Signs The National Veterinary Medical Service Act On Saturday, December 6, President George W. Bush signed
into law the National Veterinary Medical Services Act, legislation drafted
and sponsored by Congressman Chip Pickering (Miss-3). This act (HR
1367) will provide student loan repayment to veterinary school graduates who
agree to work in underserved areas of the country. Senator Thad
Cochran, also of "This legislation is a common sense solution to our
veterinarian shortage in many areas of this country," Congressman
Pickering said. "With the growing threat of agro-terrorism, and
fears of foreign disease like 'mad-cow,' this bill would create the manpower
for a veterinarian 'national guard' that would serve as our front line
defense and intelligence service for animal health concerns." The bill passed the House and Senate unanimously and
enjoyed bipartisan support. Texas Democrat Charles Stenholm called it
"good, cost-effective policy." Congressman Stenholm said
during House debate, "Assuring an adequate supply of veterinarians in
many underserved rural and urban areas is a critical issue for our nation's
animal health infrastructure. It is generally private veterinarians who
are the first to identify and respond to animal disease outbreaks." This act will place veterinarians in underserved areas of
the country in need of veterinary health care by offering veterinary students
grants to assist in repaying educational debts. Eligible students will
enter into agreements with the Secretary of Agriculture for a period of time
and amount of repayment of educational loans determined by the Secretary in
exchange for the veterinarian's service in a shortage area including rural
regions and inner-city areas. In addition, this act will establish a 'national guard'
of veterinarians. In exchange for additional debt repayment, eligible
students can enter into further agreements with the Secretary to assist USDA
in addressing disease outbreaks, agro-terrorist threats or similar emergency
situations determined by the Secretary. The Secretary would be able to
mobilize these volunteers to investigate suspicious and/or treat suspicious outbreaks,
or as otherwise necessary. "Veterinarians are highly qualified medical
individuals that first notice and diagnosis developing health patterns in
animals," said Dr. John Thomson, Dean of Mississippi State University's The National Veterinary Medical Services Act has been a
work in progress since its original inception in October 2000, by Congressman
Pickering, as he worked with veterinary schools across the country, the
American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of
Veterinary Medical Colleges. Since the measure passed out of the
Agriculture Committee in late September, scores of veterinary students and
faculty from around the country have contacted Congressman Pickering's office
for more information on the program. "This legislation has been the number one priority
of several organizations," said Thomson, "Our profession is
thankful for Congressman Pickering's vision and understanding on why our
country needs this legislation. It is important to the veterinarian
industry; it is vital to the security of our country." Fellow Agriculture Committee member Congressman Gil
Gutknecht (R-Minn) praised the legislation from the
Floor of the House, "I commend the gentleman from Mississippi, Mr.
Pickering, for his leadership on this issue...Having a pool of qualified
veterinarians able to assist in a time of an emergency simply bolsters our
ability to rapidly contain diseases which can cost our economy millions or
even billions of dollars." Rural veterinarians are the nation's front line of
defense against disease outbreaks such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and preserving food safety.
Inner-city veterinarians are in demand to address public health problems
associated with pet overpopulation, parasites, rabies and other zoonotic diseases. There is a critical shortage of
veterinarians with special training in strategic disciplines within the
profession, including food safety veterinarians. Programs already exist
for recent graduates of human health professions (doctors and nurses), as
well as educators, with loan forgiveness in return for work in underserved
areas, no such program exists for veterinary school graduates, until this
act. Chip Perfect Pet Products ISVMA was contacted by a member
doctor who expressed concern with the services offered by
PerfectPetProducts.com. The website appears to describe diagnostic testing,
consultation, and help obtaining heartworm pills. ISVMA is of the position
(consistent with the AVMA) that the veterinarian-client-patient relationship
(VCPR) is the basis for interaction among veterinarians, their clients and
patients. A VCPR exists when all of the following conditions have been met: 1. The veterinarian has assumed responsibility for
making clinical judgements regarding the health of
the animal(s) and the need for medical treatment, and the client has agreed
to the veterinarian’s instructions. 2. The veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the
animal(s) to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the
medical condition of the animal(s). This means that the veterinarian has
recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the
animal(s) by virtue of an examination of the animal(s), or by medically
appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal(s) are kept. 3. The veterinarian is readily available, or has
arranged for emergency coverage, for follow-up evaluation of adverse
reactions or the failure of the treatment regimen. At the request of the ISVMA, Dr.
Elizabeth Curry-Galvin of the AVMA has contacted the appropriate review
committee at AVMA to determine whether PerfectPetProducts
is engaged in veterinary practices inconsistent with the VCPR and, therefore,
the Illinois Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act. I will keep you
updated in future newsletters. |
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