ISVMA Recognizes Rep. Kelly Burke as Legislative Champion

BEVERLY -- Veterinarians around Illinois have a new official champion in the Legislature: local state Rep. Kelly Burke.

The Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association has announced Rep. Burke has earned the group's 2019 President's Award for her work on legislation that would prevent vets from having to track human medical records for opioid use.

The group explains the issue and its award for Rep. Burke in more detail:

The Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association (ISVMA) has recognized 36th Illinois District Representative Kelly Burke (D), Evergreen Park, with its 2019 President’s Award for her perseverance in the Illinois House to promote the veterinary profession in the state.

“Rep. Burke’s help with the exemption of veterinarians from the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) was a tremendous help for our professional veterinarian members,” says ISVMA Board of Directors President Dr. Olivia Rudolphi of Rudolphi Veterinary Services in Noble, Ill. “She advocated in the state House for this exemption, Senate Bill 1665, which helped us focus on what we do: take care of pets, not track medical records of pet owners.”

The ISVMA sought exemption from Illinois’ PMP that went into effect statewide in January 2018. The law required vets to assess patient access to controlled substances, in this case whenever an initial narcotic prescription was written for a pet. Under the PMP, veterinarians were subject to official recording to state authorities that a narcotic was issued for a pet owner’s cat, dog or other animal.

“It made little sense to have animal doctors to review and report on human health records,” Rudolphi says. “We’re very concerned about finding solutions to the human opioid crisis, and are in support of completing state-required continuing education courses for safe opioid prescribing practices,” Rudolphi says. “But our focus is on what we do medically for pets, not their human caretakers.”

“Something had to be done regarding the PMP for Illinois’ veterinarians. Linking animal and human medical information and then reviewing these records before deciding how to prescribe treatment for the pet really has nothing to do with how they practice medicine for animals,” said Rep. Burke. “I was pleased to be the House sponsor and work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this important exemption passed after action by the Senate.”

The ISVMA President’s Award is annually presented to an individual or group that has significantly advanced the interests of the veterinary profession in Illinois. The bill was sponsored in the Senate by 19th District Senator Michael Hastings (D), Tinley Park, also recognized by the ISVMA with a 2019 President’s Award.

The ISVMA is a professional association representing more than 2,500 member veterinarians, veterinary and technician students and Certified Veterinary Technicians from around the state to promote and protect veterinary practices. ISVMA leaders and members study a multitude of cutting-edge medical and business practices, as well as pertinent legislation to determine their impact on pets, animals and their human caretakers.

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