US Pharmacopeia may receive AVMA support

Posted Jan. 1, 2001 

The AVMA Executive Board has agreed to help support a program that is said to generate the highest caliber drug information available for veterinary medicine.

At the request of the Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents, the board approved partial funding of the US Pharmacopeia Veterinary Drug Information program, but at $10,000, not the $150,000 the council recommended.

The amended sponsorship offer of $10,000 is valid only if the organizations negotiate a satisfactory contract.

The US Pharmacopeia publishes USP Dispensing Information, volumes devoted to human drug information. Annual supplements have included a growing collection of monographs addressing animal drugs and human drugs used in animals, with both approved and nonapproved uses.

Recent reorganization at the USP has led the organization to expect that the Veterinary Drug Information program should become financially self-supporting. The monograph division has received funding through June 2001, but after that, the program is at risk of discontinuation unless outside financial support is committed. The hope is that good faith sponsorships by organizations such as the AVMA will encourage the USP to continue to partially subsidize this program.

Twelve volunteer members of the veterinary information expert panel are updating the veterinary drug monographs and identifying drugs for which new monographs are most important.

Find information on the USP Veterinary Drug Information program, including antimicrobial monographs, at www.usp.org.