The American Veterinary Medical Assn.'s House of Delegates will deliberate 16 resolutions July 19 as it concludes its now biannual session in New Orleans. The group decided not to consider a 17th resolution submitted by the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Assn. that would have had the AVMA encourage the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to withdraw approvals of "all non-therapeutic uses of antimicrobials in food animals for growth promotion and feed efficiency" due to concerns of resistance. The resolution was submitted after the 60-day prior notice requirement, so it was subject to a two-thirds floor approval to consider at this session. Slightly more than 50 percent of delegates favored consideration of the resolution, short of the needed two-thirds. An 18th resolution, submitted by four food-animal practice associations to counter the New Jersey resolution, was subsequently withdrawn. Among the resolutions to be considered on Saturday are measures to eliminate the position of vice president of the AVMA, to increase the AVMA's involvement with veterinary students, to develop a model certificate of veterinary inspection for domestic travel of companion animals, to encourage the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine to "strictly enforce its rules prohibiting drug compounding that produces unapproved mimics of commercially available FDA-approved drugs," to promote research on canine influenza, to issue a position statement on veal calf housing and to actively promote the linking of companion-animal microchip databases. The legislative body will also elect new officers. In today's session, several council representatives were elected, including: On the Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents, Dr. Richard Forfa of Dickerson, Md., representing private clinical practice (predominantly equine) and Dr. Edward Javorka of Gary, Ind., representing private clinical practice (predominantly small animal) . On the Council of Communications, Dr. Elizabeth Charles of San Diego, Calif., representing private practice (predominantly equine) and Dr. Natalie Marks of Illinois, at-large . On the Council of Education, Dr. Margaret Root Kustritz of St. Paul, Minn., representing small-animal clinical science . On the Council on Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Alicia Anderson of Atlanta representing public health agencies or the armed forces . On the Council on Research, Drs. Kevin Lewis of Round Lake, Ill., and Kent Lloyd of Davis, Calif., representing veterinary medical research . On the Council on Veterinary Service, at-large members Drs. John Davis of Colorado and John Howe of Minnesota . On the Judicial Council, Drs. David Beauchamp of Leland, N.C., and Donald Noah of Alexandria, Va. Two run-offs on council seats will be held tomorrow: one to represent non-private practice or non-academic veterinary medicine on the Council on Education and the other an at-large position on the Council on Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine. In other House of Delegate news, treasurer Dr. Bret Marsh said the AVMA remains financially strong despite the economy, that no dues increase will be requested for 2009 but that an increase may be requested in 2010 if current trends continue. <HOME>
