Pulse - December 2024 - 17

TOOLS FOR SUCCESS
Midlevel Practitioner Proposal
Secures Enough Votes in Colorado
Full implementation of veterinary professional associate
position will take years
Courtesy of AVMA
C
olorado voters have approved a new veterinary
midlevel practitioner (MLP) position
known as a veterinary professional associate
(VPA). The unprecedented method for introducing
such a change to the veterinary-let alone
any health care-profession came via a ballot
measure called Proposition 129. It received
52.3% " yes " votes, with 78% of the vote tallied
as of November 7, per the Associated Press.
All Pets Deserve Vet Care-supported by the Dumb Friends
League (DFL), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals (ASPCA), Animal Welfare Association of Colorado,
the Humane Society of the United States, and others-was behind
the initiative. The group had gathered enough citizen signatures to
put the measure on Colorado's November 5 general election ballot.
Voting ballot
Colorado voters narrowly approved Proposition 129 this November,
which establishes the position of veterinary professional
associate. These professionals will hold a master's degree and work
under the supervision of licensed veterinarians in the state.
The AVMA and Colorado VMA (CVMA) came out staunchly
against the proposition, saying the new practitioner would have
inadequate training for doing complex tasks, such as surgery,
that should only be done by veterinarians who undergo years of
rigorous education and training. The VPA would be a master's
level-trained individual who would be allowed to practice veterinary
medicine-including diagnosing, creating treatment plans,
and performing surgery.
Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical
Sciences is in the process of developing a degree program
for this Master's of Veterinary Clinical Care. Most of the program
would be taught online, which opponents argued would not provide
sufficient laboratory and clinical exposure, and would put the
health and safety of Colorado's pets and other animals at risk. There
is currently no accreditation of the educational program, no comprehensive
test required to determine the competence of program
graduates, and no licensing of those who would fill this role.
A recent survey showed that 95% of Colorado veterinarians
were opposed to creating this position.
Additional information provided with Proposition 129 indicated
that the Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine would
oversee examination and qualification processes for this midlevel
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DECEMBER 2024
position, as well as issue and renew registrations and set fees. This
would all take effect by January 15, 2027.
" We are disappointed with the outcome of Proposition 129 on
the ballot in Colorado; however, rest assured that now, more than
ever, we will continue our work to ensure that the health and safety
of Colorado's animals are protected, " said Dr. Sandra Faeh, AVMA
president. " This includes pursuing all options to ensure that pets
and other animals receive high-quality care led and delivered by
comprehensively educated, proficient, and licensed veterinarians.
We look forward to working collaboratively with stakeholders in
pursuit of a regulatory framework that will protect Colorado's animals,
their owners, our food supply, and public health. "
The AVMA and CVMA worked over the past several months
to inform the profession and the public of the impacts of this ballot
measure by establishing the Keep Our Pets Safe campaign, which
provided resources for veterinarians to help them inform their
clients, created advertising and social media messages about the
dangers of Proposition 129, and executed significant outreach to
media outlets across the state.
Diane Matt, CEO of the CVMA and Dr. Janet Donlin, CEO of
the AVMA, wrote in a November 5 op-ed for Colorado Politics:
" There is no 'gap' in veterinary services. The proposed VPA duplicates
the work veterinarians and veterinary technicians already
perform. Veterinarians diagnose, prognose, develop treatment
plans, prescribe and perform surgery. Veterinary technicians can do
anything else. In fact, Colorado recently passed a law that supports
veterinarians in delegating appropriate duties to their veterinary
technicians and expands their role. The VPA role, if authorized by
Proposition 129, would put inadequately trained individuals with
a mostly online master's degree into medical decision-making roles
and allow them to perform surgery, which jeopardizes the safety of
Colorado's animals and the future of veterinary care. "
More than 200 national and local veterinary, humane, and
breeders' organizations; veterinary clinics; veterinarians; veterinary
technicians; and pet owners opposed the measure. Among them
were the American Animal Hospital Association, Feline Veterinary
Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners,
American Association of Bovine Practitioners, American
Association of Swine Veterinarians, American Association of
Avian Pathologists, American Association of Small Ruminant
Practitioners, American Association of Food Safety and Public
Health Veterinarians, Relief Veterinary Medical Association,
American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, American Veterinary
Dental College, Student AVMA, Veterinary Management Groups,
American Humane, and the American Kennel Club. P
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Pulse - December 2024

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