On Dec. 21, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is withdrawing the guidance document entitled “Enforcement Policy Regarding Federal VCPR Requirements to Facilitate Veterinary Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Outbreak.”

The guidance document temporarily suspended enforcement of some federal veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) requirements, namely the requirement for an in-person animal examination and/or visit to the premises where the animal(s) are kept. This made it possible for veterinarians to establish a VCPR for covered federal activities, such as extralabel drug use, solely through telemedicine during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The FDA states that the conditions that created the need for the enforcement policy have evolved, such that the policy is no longer needed. As a result, starting Feb. 21, 2023, veterinarians will need to meet all the requirements of the federally defined VCPR before engaging in covered activities.

Click here to view the Federal Register notice that explains the agency’s decision.

This post was written by FVMA Communications Team.