The Board of Pharmacy Specialties is considering a specialty certification for veterinary pharmacists

The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) is considering veterinary pharmacy for recognition as a specialty certification.^1,2 The consideration was prompted by a petition jointly submitted by the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists (ACVP), the International College of Veterinary Pharmacy (ICVP), and the Society of Veterinary Hospital Pharmacists (SVHP) in January 2026.¹

“Animals contribute profoundly to society as companions, service and working partners, athletes, food-producing species…and essential subjects in biomedical research. Within the One Health framework, their health is inseparably linked to human and environmental ecosystems,” the petition’s 17 authors and signers—collectively representing the ACVP, ICVP, and SVHP—expressed in the document.³

“Pharmacists occupy a uniquely broad legal and professional scope across this continuum. We are the only health professionals educated and licensed to provide pharmaceutical care for both human and nonhuman species. Yet the scientific, regulatory, and ethical complexities of treating animals require advanced, species-focused expertise that extends beyond general pharmacy training. For these reasons, we respectfully request recognition of veterinary pharmacy as a specialty by the BPS,” the petitioners continued.³

The petition is currently under BPS review, and the public comment period is now open. Comments should be submitted to the BPS online (https://www.research.net/r/ZVCDSDQ) by April 1, 2026.^1,2 The BPS aims to complete reviews of both the petition and public comments and announce a decision within 6 months.¹

Petitioner Gigi Davidson, BSPharm, FACVP, FSVHP, DICVP, said “unbiased outside information” is needed from the public comments to validate the information provided by the authors. “I'm really hoping that folks won't just write in to BPS and say, ‘Yes, I support it.’ We need concrete examples of what they're doing, why they support it, how it benefits patient care, how it benefits public health, and what the demand in the workplace is going to be,” she said in a dvm360 interview.

In a public statement, the ACVP praised the steps the BPS has already taken to consider the petition’s request. “For years, the ACVP has worked tirelessly to advance the health and well-being of animals through specialized pharmaceutical care. Now, alongside our colleagues at the ICVP and SVHP, we are 1 step closer to seeing that expertise formally recognized at the highest level of pharmacy practice,” the organization said.²

The petition authors describe veterinary pharmacy specialists as “experts in the delivery of direct patient care services by pharmacists, collaboratively working as members of interprofessional health care teams, to ensure safe and effective use of medications in nonhuman patients and to ensure that residues from those medications do not end up in the human food chain.” These authors also noted the following criteria necessary for a new specialty to be formally recognized: need, demand, number or time, specialized knowledge, specialized functions, education and training, and transmission of knowledge. ^1,3

Additionally, the petition states that “veterinary pharmacists possess a deep and working knowledge of comparative influences on drug disposition and therapeutic effects in both human and nonhuman patients.” Veterinary pharmacy specialists also understand the principles and applications of comparative toxicology, which allow or prevent dosage extrapolation between species and help prevent adverse events from inappropriate dosage extrapolation. “These specialists focus on disease prevention and treatment as members of veterinary medical and One Health medicine teams and use specialized knowledge of zoonotic disease to promote public health and best outcomes in all patients,” the authors wrote.^1,3

A role delineation study was conducted and has been reviewed by the BPS board of directors. The study’s results supported further consideration of veterinary pharmacy as a recognized specialty certification, according to BPS. If the petition receives approval, the first veterinary pharmacy specialty council will be established to collaborate with the board and psychometric staff to develop eligibility criteria and a bank of certification examination items.¹

According to the ACVP, treating animals with pharmaceuticals requires more knowledge than simply scaling a human dose. “It requires a deep understanding of comparative pharmacology, toxicology, and the One Health connection between animal health and public safety,” the organization said in a public statement.²

“Veterinary medication therapy involves profound interspecies variation in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, physiology, metabolism, and toxicology; navigating limited availability of FDA-approved drugs for animals; and applying diverse regulatory frameworks depending on the animal’s intended use by humans,” the petition authors wrote.³ “System/organizational challenges, including limited access to veterinary practices with pharmacist team members, fragmented formulary structures, inconsistent knowledge of excipient safety across species, and variable training opportunities, further underscore the need for advanced expertise.”

Davidson said that although she is credentialed in the ICVP, its candidate pool is limited to pharmacists working in a veterinary teaching hospital or a veterinary practice. “It's not open to everyone, and there are only about 75 of us [who] are actually credentialed in ICVP. We hope the BPS specialty will change that,” she said in the interview.

According to the petition authors, veterinary pharmacy specialists practice across the spectrum of pharmacy care, including community pharmacies, compounding pharmacies, veterinary clinics, veterinary teaching hospitals, aquariums, zoos, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the animal pharmaceutical industry, and government agencies responsible for the regulation of animal drugs and biologics. “Pharmacists in this specialized practice review, analyze, and monitor multifaceted clinical and species-specific data to ensure the best outcomes for nonhuman patients,” they wrote.^1,3

The petition authors and signers also include Ashley Bell, PharmD, FSVHP, DICVP; Elaine Blythe, PharmD, RPh; Brian Bowers, PharmD, FACVP, FSVHP, DICVP; Patricia Douglas, BSPharm, FACVP, FAPC; Lauren Forsythe, PharmD, MBA, DICVP; Tessa Gourley, PharmD, BCPS, FSVHP; Rikki Horne, PharmD, FSVHP, DICVP; Tara Marmulak, PharmD, FSVHP, DICVP; Matthew Miller, PharmD; Jennifer O’Grady, PharmD; Alyssa Real, PharmD, MS RAQA, BCSCP, CQA; Patrick Smith, PharmD, MBA; Erica Wassack, PharmD, FACVP, FSVHP, DICVP; Travis Watson, PharmD, FACVP, FSVHP, DICVP; and Natalie Young, PharmD, BCSCP, FSVHP, DICVP.^1,3

References

1. BPS receives petition to recognize veterinary pharmacy as a specialty certification. News release. Board of Pharmacy Specialties. February 25, 2026. Accessed March 9, 2026. https://bpsweb.org/2026/02/25/bps-receives-petition-to-recognize-veterinary-pharmacy-as-a-specialty-certification/
2. A milestone for veterinary pharmacy! American College of Veterinary Pharmacists. February 26, 2026. Accessed March 9, 2026. https://vetmeds.org/veterinary-pharmacy-specialty/
3. Letter of petition to the Board of Pharmacy Specialists. Board of Pharmacy Specialties. January 16, 2026. Accessed March 12, 2026. http://books.bpsweb.org/books/xbxc/#p=1