Critically reviewing and auditing current veterinary guidelines is one of the ways the Initiative for Accessible Veterinary Healthcare (IAVH) is hoping to improve the quality and availability of veterinary care accessible to underprivileged consumers and their pets. Presented in an open access commentary, the initiatives are not intended as a definitive solution, but as a starting point for addressing the gaps in accessibility of effective veterinary care, IAVH says. The commentary will be available in the December issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA). To read it online, click here. According to its members, all stakeholders—including pet owners—veterinary health-care providers, people in academia and industry, and regulatory agencies, need to contribute to the discussion of the gap between the health care pets need and the care they are receiving, and work together to identify and achieve solutions. IAVH is a coalition of veterinary professionals from academia and the private sector whose goal is to contribute information, ideas, and practical tools to promote the expansion of effective and affordable health care for companion animals.
