EQUINE VETERINARY EDUCATION / AE / april 2010iii
During the past decade this country has seen the incursion
of several foreign animal diseases (FADs). These have
included outbreaks of contagious equine metritis (CEM),
outbreaks of equine piroplasmosis (EP), an epizootic of
exotic Newcastle disease (END), epizootics of West Nile
virus (WNV), cases of screwworm and monkeypox,
and pandemics of influenza viruses
including H1N1. Because of these
FAD events, several major animal
health and veterinary medicine organ-
izations called for enhancements to
the existing National Veterinary
Accreditation Program.
The 2001 Animal Health Safeguarding Review of the
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
cited a need to ?redesign and upgrade the National
V eterinary Accreditation Program? and suggested that ?the
accreditation program be the core for emergency prepared-
ness and the response plan.?
In 2002 the American Veterinary Medical Association
(AVMA) published an article entitled ?New Directions for
the National Veterinary Accreditation Program,? which is
an accurate predictor of many of the elements included in
the new program. In addition to fulfilling the need to bol-
ster NVAP?s effectiveness for FAD surveillance, there is a
need to better prepare accredited veterinarians to manage
the marked increase in live animal exports that has taken
place. The vast majority of animal exportations start with
the efforts of an accredited veterinarian, and one of NVAP?s
goals is to facilitate, clarify and streamline the responsibili-
ties of all parties in these efforts.
W orking with state and federal agencies, veterinary med-
ical organizations such as the United States Animal Health
Association and AVMA, and academic organizations such
as the Association of American Veterinary Medical
Colleges, APHIS developed the new elements of the NVAP
through the federal rulemaking process: APHIS published
a proposal to amend the regulations in the Federal
Register on June 1, 2006 (71 FR 3110931121, Docket
No. APHIS20060093). APHIS proposed to establish two
accreditation categories, to add requirements for supple-
mental training and renewal of accreditation every three
years, and to provide for accreditation specialties. After
the publication of a supplemental proposal in 2007, and
two solicitations for comments, the Final Rule was pub-
lished on Dec. 9, 2009, and given an effective date of Feb.
1, 2010. The deadline for accredited veterinarians to elect to partic-
ipate (ETP) and choose an accreditation category in NVAP
is
Aug. 2, 2010.The ETP process is accomplished by filling
out a one-page form, which should be sent via mail, fax or
e-mail to the NVAP headquarters staff. Failure to do so will
result in the expiration of accreditation.
For the first time, accredited veterinarians will be assigned a
six-digit national accreditation number, which is to be used
on all documents requesting an accreditation number. The
number does not authorize veterinarians to perform accred-
ited duties nationally: authorization to perform accredited
duties must, as always, be sought from and granted by the
area office responsible for each state. While many accredit-
ed veterinarians who have elected to participate have
already received their initial renewal date and new national
accreditation number, APHIS anticipates it will take four to
six months to process all forms.
No supplemental training will be required of veterinarians
until 2013 at the earliest, with some veterinarians? first
renewal coming as late as 2015. Supplemental training will
be available in many formats: online (free modules sched-
uled to appear January 2011), print, and at multiple veteri-
nary meetings and conventions. Initial indications are that
many state veterinary licensing authorities will accept NVAP
training towards licensure renewal continuing educational
requirements. Accreditation specialties (known as program
certifications) will be granted to accredited veterinarians
New guidelines require accreditation renewal for veterinarians
Current NVAP-accredited equine veterinarians must apply for renewal before Aug. 2
by Todd H. Behre, DVM, PMP, coordinator of the National Veterinary Accreditation Program
Continued on page IV.
In today?s global market, veterinarians must be better
prepared to identify foreign disease and manage live
animal exports.
Photo courtesy of the USDA.
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