In this episode of The Business of Practice podcast, Jim Zeliff, DVM, MBA, discussed the current regulatory environment surrounding xylazine. As the AAEP representative to the AVMA Legislative Advisory Council, Zeliff travels to Washington, D.C., twice a year to advise Congress on specific species’ needs and other veterinary matters.
“Xylazine is a big deal,” Zeliff said. In Philadelphia, people started cutting street fentanyl with powdered xylazine, which makes Narcan ineffective; this practice is now widespread in various parts of the country. Zeliff said powdered xylazine is obtained in bulk from China and arrives in the U.S. through the southern border. In 2023, the DEA pushed lawmakers to schedule xylazine to give the agency more tools to stop traffickers. However, because the drug is widely used in veterinary medicine for many species, the AVMA Legislative Advisory Council pushed for consideration for veterinary use.
Xylazine Legislation
In January 2023, the House passed a bill that scheduled xylazine for illicit use; the bill went on to the Senate. Consequently, the bill was rewritten to schedule all xylazine as a Schedule III drug. Zeliff said the veterinary industry sent a powerful response that it needs more time to prepare for this change. Scheduled drugs can only be manufactured in very specific sites, but of the two manufacturers of xylazine, only one currently makes other scheduled drugs. The new legislation would mean the market could lose one of its two suppliers, putting animal care at risk; the Senate has since proposed grandfathering the second manufacturer.
While waiting for federal legislation on xylazine, states can move forward with passing their own laws to schedule the drug. Florida, Ohio, and West Virginia have already done so.
In closing, Zeliff reassured listeners that “there will be a grace period.” He said the requirements will most likely not affect other alpha-2 drugs or require reporting.
About Dr. Jim Zeliff
Jim Zeliff, DVM, MBA, grew up in northern New Hampshire, where he enjoyed trail riding and skiing. He attended Purdue University with a major in Biochemistry, after which he earned his DVM in 1988. After an internship at Belmont Racetrack in New York, he founded Allegheny Equine in Murrysville, Pennsylvania. In 2019, Zeliff earned his MBA.
Zeliff is an active member of the AAEP, serving a term on the Board of Directors, as co-chair of the AAEP Commission on Equine Veterinary Sustainability’s Compensation Subcommittee, and as the AAEP representative to the AVMA Legislative Advisory Council.
During his free time, Zeliff enjoys traveling, skiing, and spending time with his wife and their son and two daughters.
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