Submission Number: 560891-00120 

Received: 8/7/2012 8:41:26 AM
Commenter: Randall Esbeck
Organization: Sawnee Animal Clinic
State: Georgia

Agency: Federal Trade Commission
Initiative: Request for Comments and Announcement of Workshop on Pet Medications Issues, Project No. P121201
Attachments: No Attachments
Submission Text
All of the veterinarians in my area as well as myself have freely offered written prescription for years. I don't know any clinics that charges for a written prescription either. I have NOT authorized fax requests from online pharmacies that sell diverted products and have been fined numerous times.(PetMed is a big one.) We call owners and offer a written Rx instead. We DO have a link on our website connecting to rebutable pharmacies. Regarding the need to write a prescription AS WELL AS fill the order in the clinic: Won't this allow the owner to get a DOUBLE amount? Do we write the prescription and then shred it? Wasteful use of time. The vast majority of my clients know that they can ask for a written prescription. The bigger concern is deep discount online pharmacies advertising on TV that their diverted products are "same as the veterinarians'". The products we offer come directly from the manufacturers and are backed by their guarantee.