As recommended by the AVMA Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents, the Executive Board approved a position supporting creation of a Veterinary Biologics Advisory Committee within the Department of Agriculture.

The committee would counsel the USDA about issues involving the licensing and use of veterinary biologics, and advise the secretary of agriculture in her function of ensuring safe and effective biologics and diagnostics.

It is the secretary of agriculture's decision whether to establish a Veterinary Biologics Advisory Committee, which would operate under the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

The VBAC would function much like the Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee, which advises the Food and Drug Administration on important issues concerning the approval of new animal drugs.