Lincoln Memorial University sues American Veterinary Medical Association

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) announced earlier today that it has filed a lawsuit against the American Veterinary Medication Association for allegedly hindering competition for when it comes to educating future veterinarians, which in result hurts clients seeking care for their patients.

“This is a case about competitors conspiring to restrain trade, eliminate competition, reduce output, and raise prices in 2 inextricably intertwined markets; thereby, inflicting injury to consumers of both markets: (a) the U.S. domestic market for veterinary education; and (b) the US domestic market for providing professional veterinary care and services. To carry out their illegal scheme, the conspirators have acted in concert in seeking to exclude Plaintiff Lincoln Memorial University (“LMU”)—the largest provider of veterinary education in the country—from the veterinary education market, in violation of the US antitrust laws,” the lawsuit states.²

MIND AND I/stock.adobe.com

According to the LMU release, they are suing the AVMA to challenge its anticompetitive accreditation practices that ‘illegally restrict the number of accredited schools of veterinary medicine,’ the output of students, and the number of veterinarians in the United States.¹ The suit also claims that the AVMA is using its monopoly power to restrict new and existing veterinary schools from getting accreditation through its Council on Education (COE) by requiring schools to meet requirements necessary to graduate veterinarians that are ready on the first day of their careers.

The AVMA has started demanding that veterinary schools offer their students research resources, facilities, and faculty that some schools may not be able to afford, or are seen as unnecessary to their work for becoming a practice veterinarian. The release also states that AVMA knows that these research requirements cannot be met by schools like LMU, who rely solely on the funding almost entirely by tuition.

"These insurmountable barriers to entry for new veterinary schools limit the number of available veterinary schools, which limits the number of graduates, which limits the veterinary options for pet owners in America," said Jason McConnell, DBA, president, LMU. "This is the essence of an antitrust violation. One economically interested group controlling the market to the detriment of consumers."

LMU was placed on probationary accreditation by the AVMA and its second veterinary medicine campus in Orange Park, Florida, is facing impending accreditation denial despite being the largest veterinary school in the United States. LMU is also requesting that the court implement a long0term solution to the problem that the AVMA’s anticompetitive behavior has created, which to LMU, would be the complete and total separation of the COE from the AVMA. Through this, LMU believes it will restore free and unrestricted competition in the market.

LMU is not seeking any money damages from this lawsuit, only an injunction to stop the AVMA from continuing to execute its current accreditation standards in an unreasonable and anticompetitive manner.

"For more than a decade, LMU’s Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine has successfully trained today's students to become some of the best veterinarians in America, and we will not allow an unjust gatekeeper to block competition and hinder their success," expressed McConnell.

"Our yearly veterinary student class is 225 students, that's the largest in America. And our students graduate with some of the best test scores in the country and are highly sought after as veterinary professionals all over the United States precisely because of the excellent education, hands-on training and skills they receive at Lincoln Memorial University. We are standing up for our students, for the future of veterinary medicine, and for the core pillars of our country's free market economy," he concluded.

Reference

1. Largest U.S. Veterinary School Takes Legal Action to Protect Consumers and Their Pets. News release. Lincoln Memorial University. June 18, 2025, Accessed June 18, 2025. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/largest-us-veterinary-school-takes-legal-action-to-protect-consumers-and-their-pets-302484550.html
2. Lincoln Memorial University. Casee No. 3:25-Cv-0282.(THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE). Accessed June 18, 2025. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/cu5irs8obnord2mk90hc8/ACKFTM-7_A25XvF6NBL9Xdk?dl=0&e=1&preview=LMU+v+AVMA+Complaint.pdf&rlkey=zp4ccmo0iljj9hhhy26dugrt5&st=5yarek9k