MVMA Report to the GSLVMA
March 5, 2015
The MVMA Executive Board met on January 22, 2015 in St. Charles, Missouri.
The AVMA is undertaking a strategic planning initiative and will be contacting members. The AVMA asks that you please respond to any emails sent to you. AVMA is continuing ot work on defeating the "Fairness To Pet Owners Act," otherwise known as the "Walmart Bill." This piece of legislation would require practitioners to provide a written prescription to pet owners on any medications dispensed (including medications dispensed in clinic). There is also an online practice management course available on the AVMA website.
A number of bills affecting veterinary medicine were discussed. Missouri House Bill 79 seeks to change the laws regarding confiscation of animals. Unless the language in the bill addresses the issue of a veterinarian's protection from liability for the care and safe keeping of confiscated animals, the MVMA opposes this bill. Senate Bill 39 would move oversight of the Animal Care Act & Canine Cruelty Prevention Act from the Department of Agriculture to the Division of Registration. The MVMA is concerned with the lack of expertise in animal care of the Division of Professional Registration and therefore opposes the bill at this time. Several versions of bills calling for prescription drug monitoring programs were discussed. The MVMA remains neutral on these bills as long as veterinarians continue to be exempt.
Veterinary Day at the Capitol is scheduled for March 3, 2015. Attendees are encouraged to talk to their respective legislatures and speak with them as a source of information on vetgerinary medicine and legislative issues.
The continuing education requirement of 20 hours was discussed. The board is currently working on ways the CE hours can be acquired. The MVMA encourages members to submit ideas for webinars were are available through the MVMA.
The 2016 MVMA Convention is scheduled to take place at TanTarA resort in Lake of the Ozarks. The 2017 MVMA Convention is tentatively scheduled to take place in Columbia, Missouri.
The newly appointed Board of Governors to the MVMA are:
Dr. David Prigel (Republic) Board Chair
Dr. Charles Barry (Warrensburg) President
Dr. Mel Falk (Independence) Vice President
Dr. Cliff Miller (Moberly) Vice-President Elect
Dr. Sheila Taylor (Springfield) Secretary
The MVMA continues to provide members with valuable benefits. These include: legislative and governmental representation, public relations, rabies vaccination and titer programs, discounts to the CVC, continuing education and the new MWI Advantage Program (see the MVMA website).
Respectfully,
Mark J. Lux, DVM
mlux@stlouisvma.org
Read more...