The American Veterinary Medical Association renewed its efforts to rally members in opposition of H.R. 1406, the Fairness to Pet Owners Act of 2011. In September 2011, the AVMA called upon its members to contact their representatives after Walmart published a statement favoring the bill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade is setting its agenda for the year and has expressed an interest in seeing the bill placed on its calendar for 2012, the AVMA said. In an effort to quash the bill, the American Veterinary Medical Association called on its members to contact subcommittee chair Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif, and express their opposition to the act. The Fairness to Pet Owners Act would require veterinarians to write a prescription for medication for small animals regardless of whether the prescription is to be dispensed on-site or from a third party. It would also require veterinarians to provide a written disclosure statement explaining that pet owners have the option to fill their prescriptions through a different pharmacy. The bill would also make it illegal to request compensation or a promise of purchase from a customer in exchange for writing a prescription. The AVMA opposes the bill on the basis of the association’s long-standing policy of encouraging veterinarians to write a prescription in lieu of dispensing when asked by a client. <HOME>
