HLS 16RS-1255 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 126
BY REPRESENTATIVE FOIL
ANIMALS: Authorizes and directs the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to study the
desirability and feasibility of requiring veterinarians to provide a copy of
prescriptions to animal owners and to provide notice of the availability of generic
medicines
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To authorize and direct the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to study the desirability
3 and feasibility of requiring veterinarians to provide a copy of prescriptions to animal
4 owners and to provide notice of the availability of generic medicines.
5 WHEREAS, animals, like humans, are prone to illness and need medicine to treat
6and prevent disease; and
7 WHEREAS, according to a 2015 report by the Federal Trade Commission, the
8United States market for animal medications is growing and is in a state of transition; and
9 WHEREAS, according to the commission's report, while it is common for animal
10owners to purchase medications directly from veterinarians, this traditional distribution
11model is being challenged by the entry and expansion of retail businesses, both online and
12brick-and-mortar, that sell animal medications; and
13 WHEREAS, veterinary practices may be uniquely suited to dispense animal
14medications because animals often require dosages that differ substantially from those used
15in humans, and which might be unfamiliar to pharmacists; and
16 WHEREAS, drugs can often have a different physiological effect in animals than in
17humans; and
18 WHEREAS, animal owners already have the flexibility to fill a prescription at their
19veterinary clinic or off-site at a pharmacy of their choice; and
Page 1 of 3 HLS 16RS-1255 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 126
1 WHEREAS, generally, animal medications are supplied to veterinarians only, which
2can result in higher prices for owners when pharmacies purchase animal medications for
3dispensing from secondary distributors; and
4 WHEREAS, the commission's report states that improved consumer access to
5portable prescriptions would likely enhance competition in the animal medications industry;
6and
7 WHEREAS, the report also states that increased availability of low-priced generic
8animal drugs would likely result in significant cost savings to the consumer; and
9 WHEREAS, pursuant to administrative rules promulgated by the Louisiana Board
10of Veterinary Medicine, an animal owner is not obligated to purchase a prescription
11medication from the prescribing veterinarian; and
12 WHEREAS, according to the board's administrative rules, when a
13veterinarian-client-patient relationship exists and a veterinarian has determined that a
14prescription medication will be used in a patient’s treatment or preventive health plan, it is
15a violation of the rules of professional conduct promulgated by the board for a veterinarian
16to refuse to provide a written prescription to the animal owner if both of the following
17conditions exist:
18 (1)The veterinarian has determined that the patient's life is not endangered
19 without the immediate administration of the prescription medication.
20 (2)In the veterinarian's medical opinion, the prescribed substance is medically
21 safe for in-home administration; and
22 WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture and Forestry was created to administer
23the programs and enforce the regulations that impact every aspect of the state's agriculture
24and forestry including the health and well-being of the state's animal population.
25 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
26authorize and direct the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to study the desirability and
27feasibility of requiring veterinarians to provide a copy of prescriptions to animal owners and
28to provide notice of the availability of generic medicines.
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
30commissioner of agriculture and forestry.
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HCR NO. 126
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 126 Original 2016 Regular Session Foil
Authorizes and directs the Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry to study the desirability and
feasibility of requiring veterinarians to provide a copy of prescriptions to animal owners and
to provide notice of the availability of generic medicines.
Page 3 of 3