Federal legislation that would permit veterinarians to legally transport and dispense controlled drugs away from their office appears on the fast track to becoming law after the U.S. Senate approved the bill by unanimous consent Wednesday. The Senate action followed the House’s approval eight days earlier. The bill now goes to President Obama for his expected signature. Two veterinarians—U.S. Reps. Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Ted Yoho of Florida—sponsored the legislation in an attempt to eliminate violations of the Controlled Substances Act when practitioners go about their everyday work of making house calls or treating farm animals. The Drug Enforcement Administration in recent years interpreted the Controlled Substances Act as prohibiting the removal and administration of some drugs away from a veterinarian’s registered location. The American Veterinary Medical Association welcomed the Senate’s approval of HR 1528, also known as the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act. “We are grateful for the outreach and engagement in support of this legislation and are seeking swift action by the president,” wrote AVMA blogger Ashley Morgan, DVM, the assistant director of the Governmental Relations Division.
