Why is it Difficult to Understand the Rules Regulating Veterinary Telemedicine in Australia?

Despite the importance of veterinary telemedicine, there are no Acts or regulations that regulate the practice in Australia. It has been left to veterinary boards to provide non-statutory guidance in the form of general codes of professional practice and professional standards. Identifying the rules governing veterinary telemedicine is difficult because different sets of laws and rules apply in each jurisdiction and those laws and rules are not always consistent. More specifically, in the absence of a physical examination of the animal by a veterinarian, telemedicine does not fit "neatly" into traditional principles of veterinary practice and the regulation of scheduled drugs. All this leads to uncertainty and a lack of clarity. This article explores these issues by examining the key rules in each jurisdiction. Some reference is also made to the equivalent rules governing telehealth (also an unregulated space) for the medical profession.