Source: AVMA
A federal judge has dismissed without prejudice an antitrust lawsuit filed by Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) against the American Veterinary Medical Association over accreditation decisions involving its Veterinary colleges. U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan ruled that LMU’s claims of harm were too speculative and therefore not ripe for adjudication.
LMU alleged that the AVMA Council on Education engaged in anticompetitive accreditation practices. Its Tennessee Veterinary college was placed on probationary accreditation in 2024 because of a research program deficiency, while its developing Orange Park, Florida, college was initially asked to provide additional information during the accreditation process.
The court found LMU had not demonstrated current harm because its Tennessee program remains accredited and can accept students, while the Florida program has since received provisional accreditation. The ruling did not address the merits of LMU’s antitrust allegations or the disputed accreditation requirements. Because the case was dismissed without prejudice, LMU could pursue its claims again in the future.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.avma.org/news/federal-judge-dismisses-antitrust-lawsuit-against-avma