Oppose Mandatory Prescription Writing

Tell Congress to oppose mandatory prescription writing for veterinarians!	Take Action!
We need your help now! A congressional hearing has been scheduled for The Fairness to Pet Owners Act (H.R. 3174), which was reintroduced in July 2015. The bill, championed by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), would require veterinarians to provide clients with written prescriptions for their pets regardless of whether the clients wish to fill the prescription at the clinic on site. Proponents of the bill claim veterinarians withhold prescriptions to increase profits. A May 2015 Federal Trade Commission report makes clear that the claim is unsubstantiated. Nothing prevents clients from asking for prescriptions. The AVMA's Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics states that veterinarians shall honor a client's request for a prescription in lieu of dispensing. A majority of states already have similar laws or policies. AVMA contends that this bill is unnecessary and will result in veterinarians spending excess time on unnecessary paperwork, likely at the expense of patient care. Despite significant opposition to this bill, some in Congress have expressed an interest in moving it through the legislative process. Should H.R. 3174 pass out of committee, it would be very difficult to keep the bill from moving forward and potentially getting a vote by the full House of Representatives. This is where your help is needed! Please take a few minutes to send a message to register your strong opposition and urge your congressional representative to oppose this legislation. Take action today! Read about this bill here.