FTC workshop to focus on pet medication
Veterinarians, pet owners, and other interested parties will be able to express their views on pet medicine during the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) pet medications workshop on Oct. 12, 2012.
According to the FTC, the purpose of the workshop is to examine how current pet medication distribution practices influence consumer choice and price competition.
The workshop comes during a time when there is much debate within the veterinary community over H.R. 1406, proposed legislation that the FTC says “would require veterinarians to provide clients with written prescriptions for all pet medications, regardless of whether requested, and to inform clients of their right to have pet medications dispensed elsewhere.”
Representatives from the American Veterinary Medicine Association will be in attendance at the FTC workshop to state the organization’s position on H.R. 1406 and related issues, but all individual veterinarians can show up to voice their opinions and represent their profession.
In advance of the workshop, the FTC published a list of questions about H.R. 1406 and related topics that veterinarians can weigh in on, including:
- What risks or inefficiencies may be posed by prescription portability for pet medications?
- How might the passage of H.R. 1406 affect price, consumer choice, and other forms of competition in the pet medications market?
- What compliance costs would veterinarians face if H.R. 1406 were enacted?
- Is there a need for federal legislation requiring veterinarians to notify clients that they have the right to fill their prescriptions at the pharmacy of their choice?
- Read the full list of questions on the Federal Register notice announcing the workshop.
How to participate
The free workshop does not require pre-registration and will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Washington, D.C. People who cannot make it to the workshop can still take part in the conversation by submitting comments electronically or in paper format by September 14.
- Workshop location: 601 New Jersey Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.
- Electronic comment submission: Use this form on the FTC website
- Mail or deliver comments: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, Room H-113 (Annex X), 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20580.