AVMA and Congressional veterinarians ask FDA to extend #GFI 256 comment period again.

In a May 19, 2020 letter to Eric Nelson, Director, Division of Compliance of the Center for Veterinary Medicine of the Food and Drug Administration, the AVMA requested “at least a 120-day extension to the comment period,” explaining that “The COVID-19 pandemic has required the AVMA to focus its efforts on ensuring veterinary practices are deemed essential businesses and providing information and resources for veterinarians so that they are able to continue protecting animal health and welfare and public health, while ensuring to the greatest extent possible the safety of their practice teams and clients. As such, we have not been able to gather feedback from our membership as we normally would.”

In their May 22, 2020 letter to Commissioner Stephen H. Hahn, M.D. of the FDA, House of Representatives members Kurt Schrader, DVM and Ted S. Yoho, DVM, asked that “this comment period be extended again for an additional six months,” explaining that their request was “because of the current and unprecedented situation with Covid-19 and the widespread shutdown of much of our nation’s economy … Stakeholders, including veterinarians, pet owners and pharmacies, are currently distracted and need more time to effectively provide the kind of input necessary for FDA to make appropriate decisions regarding this draft guidance.”

Letter to FDA from Congressional veterinarians Letter to FDA from AVMA