September 2003      AVDA News l Industry News

Still Time to Register for Warehousing Seminar

The American Veterinary Distributors Association is offering a new seminar through its affiliation with the Pet Industry Distributors Association. PIDA's 2003 warehousing seminar will offer veterinary product distributors and manufacturers practical advice on managing their warehouses. DETAILS

AVDA 2004 Annual Conference to be Held at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

AVDA’s 2004 Conference will be held in Scottsdale, Arizona from May 16-18, 2004. The meeting will be held at the beautiful Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, a four star resort overlooking the Scottsdale and McDowell mountains. DETAILS

AVDA Distributors Outlook Survey 

for Second Quarter 2003

AVDA’s Distributor Members were recently surveyed for the second quarter ending June 30, 2003 on their outlook for the veterinary distribution industry. Thirty-three percent of distributor members responded to the survey. DETAILS

Compendium of Veterinary Products: AVDA Member Benefit

This Compendium is a comprehensive guide to animal health products, their manufacturers and distributors. Also included, biological charts, anthelmintic charts, withdrawal time charts, therapeutic indexes and other reference tables for distributors, manufacturers and veterinarians. Published every two years, the new 7^th Edition is now available. DETAILS

AVDA Co-Sponsors University of Industrial Distribution

AVDA is a new co-sponsor of the University of Industrial Distribution. UID 2004 is a concentrated educational program focused on the unique needs of wholesale distributors.  DETAILS

AVDA Board Considers CFO Committee

At its recent meeting in Kansas City, the AVDA Board agreed to consider creating a CFO Committee. The Committee would consist of CFOs from AVDA member distributors. The Committee would discuss financial reporting, best practices, and the Annual PAR Report that is conducted by Profit Planning Group.

Currently, the Board is evaluating the level of interest that exists in such a Committee. Interested parties should contact Mike Gerlaugh, at Columbus Serum, at 614-449-6237 or AVDA headquarters at 443-640-1040.

INDUSTRY NEWS

FDA Issues New Guidance for Staff and Industry on Compounding of Drugs for Use in Animals

On July 3, 1996, FDA issued a CPG section 608.400 "Compounding of  Drugs for Use in Animals,'' which provided guidance to FDA's field and headquarters staff with regard to the compounding of drugs for use in animals by veterinarians and pharmacists. It described the factors FDA intended to consider in exercising its enforcement discretion regarding the illegal compounding of drugs intended for use in animals. FDA is now updating this CPG. DETAILS

NAW Forges Agreement with Humana

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) has introduced a new, affordable multi-state Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) insurance plan that will arm more than 40,000 companies with practical cost-containment strategies -- while enabling them to offer comprehensive health insurance coverage to their employees. DETAILS

Consumerism Key to Containing Health Care Cost Increases

A new study shows that health insurance premiums will rise 50% by 2006 – an alarming statistic considering businesses are seriously overburdened already by a decade of annual double-digit premium increases. At this rate, the ranks of the uninsured are forecasted to swell by 10 million, up to 51 million Americans. DETAILS

FCC Extends Effective Date of Fax Rule to 2005

On August 18, 2003, the Federal Communications Commission issued an order extending the effective date of its new rule governing unsolicited fax advertisements from August 25, 2003 until January 1, 2005. DETAILS