AAVSB looks to evaluate Internet pharmacies

The two groups signed a Memorandum of Understanding, announcing theirintent to develop the Veterinary Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice SitesProgram.

It's all very preliminary, says AAVSB Executive Director Charlotte Ronan.At presstime, the organizations were outlining steps to evaluate the veterinarypharmacy market and determine the feasibility of jointly developing andoperating Internet pharmacy quality controls.

Cleaning up the system

The program would likely mirror NABP's Verified Interned Pharmacy PracticeSites (VIPPS®), founded in 1999 in human medicine as a response to publicconcern for the safety of Internet pharmacy practices. The 13 pharmaciescurrently certified the voluntary program must meet and follow stringentcriteria developed by a coalition of regulatory agencies, professional associationsand consumer advocacy groups.

"It's like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval," Ronan says."If we could get the questionable veterinary pharmacies to submit tothis, the PetMed Expresses of the world might clean up their act. Who knows?"

The two groups plan to develop standards for Internet pharmacies thissummer. The program will be highlighted at the AAVSB annual meeting July20 at the Loews Hotel in Denver.