California adopts law regulating vet telehealth
The new regulation wants to promote video technology during vet visits amid a staff shortage in the Golden State.
California’s awaited telemedicine bill has been signed into law by the State Governor after receiving near unanimous support across the Senate and Assembly.
The bill, which sought to redefine veterinary-client-patient relationships through video technology, will come into force from 1 January 2024.
“AB 1399 makes veterinary care more accessible to California pet owners, and we’re grateful to Governor Newsom for signing this lifesaving bill into law to enable California veterinarians to use technology to protect the pets who need it most,” says Brittany Benesi, Senior Legislative Director at the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), one of the sponsors of the bill.
Benesi added that, when used responsibly, veterinary telehealth “can help reduce animal suffering, address barriers to care, keep pets in their homes, and extend the capacity of animal shelters.”
For the San Diego Humane Society, another sponsor of the bill, it will eliminate barriers around access to care.
“Telemedicine will improve the well-being of animals who need access to affordable, convenient health care and make veterinary care more accessible for all pet owners, especially for people in remote areas and those who face geographic, logistical, and financial obstacles getting animals to a clinic,” points out Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, CEO of the San Francisco SPCA.
What does the law propose?
AB 1399 reverses the legal requirement for veterinarians to examine patients in person before providing any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
The law also protects against potential malpractice by restricting the prescription of controlled substances solely on an electronic examination and barring veterinarians from practicing telemedicine on patients outside California.
It also places a 2-week limit on antibiotic prescriptions via online channels, and the renewal would be in-person. There is a 6-month limit on all other prescriptions, which can be renewed through another telehealth appointment.
Thus, the new law takes a step toward solving the veterinary shortage, which, according to Banfield Pet Hospital, could lead to 75 million pets in the US without veterinary care by 2030. The state of California has a Veterinary Care Accessibility Score of 47 out of 100.
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