Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act of 2014

OCR transcription for search; preserved printed pages are authoritative

Us Deparifront of Justice .

U. S. Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration

www.dea.gov

Springfield, Virginia 22152
FEB 2 5 2016

Dear Registrant:

This correspondence outlines the policy of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
regarding the Veterinary Mobility Act of 2014, which became effective on August 1, 2014. It is the
DEA's position that the new law should be interpreted exactly as it is written.

The Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act of 2014 amended section 302(e) of the Controlled
Substances Act, Title 21, United States Code, Section 822(e) (21 U.S.C. § 822(e)) to address separate
registration requirements for veterinarians. Specifically, the Act states that a "registrant who is a
veterinarian shall not be required to have a separate registration in order to transport and dispense
controlled substances in the usual course of veterinary practice at a site other than the registrant's
registered principal place of business or professional practice, so long as the site of transporting and
dispensing is located in a State where the veterinarian is licensed to practice veterinary medicine and
is not a principal place of business or professional practice."

A non-office setting that the veterinarian visits to treat animals on an occasional, as-needed
basis would not be a principal place of business or professional practice. Although the following is
not the only example covered by 21 U.S.C. § 822(e)(2), a prime example is that a veterinarian may
dispense controlled substances while making "house calls" (e.g., at a stable) without being registered
at that location. And, in such a scenario, the veterinarian does not need to be registered with the
DEA in the State where the dispensing occurs, as long as the veterinarian is registered in some
other State and is licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State where the dispensing occurs.

Should you have any questions pertaining to this matter, please contact your local DEA
Field office, or you may contact the DEA Office of Diversion Control, Liaison and Policy Section, at
(202) 307-7297.

Sincerely,

Louis J. Milione
Deputy Assistant Administrator
Office of Diversion Control

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AUTHENTICATED
US GOVERNMENT
INFORMATION

GPO

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# One Hundred Thirteenth Congress of the Anited States of America AT THE SECOND SESSION Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and fourteen

## An Act

To amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow a veterinarian to transport and
dispense controlled substances in the usual course of veterinary practice outside
of the registered location.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the "Veterinary Medicine Mobility
Act of 2014".

SEC. 2. TRANSPORT AND DISPENSING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES
IN THE USUAL COURSE OF VETERINARY PRACTICE.

Section 302(e) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C.
822(e)) is amended-

(1) by striking "(e)" and inserting "(e)(1)"; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

"(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a registrant who is a veteri-
narian shall not be required to have a separate registration in
order to transport and dispense controlled substances in the usual
course of veterinary practice at a site other than the registrant's
registered principal place of business or professional practice, so
long as the site of transporting and dispensing is located in a
State where the veterinarian is licensed to practice veterinary medi-
cine and is not a principal place of business or professional prac-
tice.".

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.