On December 12, 2023 the House passed the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (SUPPORT Act), which contains key components of the AVMA-endorsed Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. The language within the SUPPORT Act would schedule xylazine as a Schedule III drug while exempting from scheduling the FDA-approved animal drug, which means, if enacted, veterinarians would be able to use it as they always have under federal law. Now the SUPPORT Act will move to the Senate; however, the AVMA does anticipate pushback to the House version by those who want to see greater controls placed on the FDA-approved product. The AVMA is committed to continuing its work with lawmakers and committee staff toward a federal solution to address this emerging public health threat while maintaining the access veterinarians need to xylazine.
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