New accreditation requirements prepare veterinarians to protect U.S. security

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

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 virus including H1N1. Because of these FAD events, several major animal health and veterinary medicine organizations 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 Veterinary Accreditation Program” and suggested that “the accreditation program be the core for emergency preparedness 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 bolster 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 responsibilities of all parties in these efforts.

Working with state and federal agencies, veterinary medical 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 supplemental 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 published on Dec. 9, 2009, and given an effective date of Feb. 1, 2010.

The deadline for accredited veterinarians to elect to participate (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 accredited 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 accredited veterinarians who have ETP’d have already received their initial renewal date and new national accreditation number, APHIS anticipates it will take four to six months to process all ETP forms.