Source: Reuters
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Lincoln Memorial University against the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), which alleged that the association used restrictive accreditation standards to limit the number of veterinarians and reduce competition. U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan ruled that Lincoln Memorial had not adequately demonstrated harm and that concerns about the future accreditation of its Tennessee Veterinary program were too speculative.
The university challenged its probationary accreditation, arguing that it damaged its reputation and ability to expand. The AVMA maintained that the lawsuit was premature because no final accreditation decision had been made. The U.S. Department of Justice previously filed a statement of interest warning that professional accrediting organizations cannot create anticompetitive barriers that restrict new Veterinary providers. Lincoln Memorial emphasized that the dismissal did not address the merits of its allegations and said it could pursue its claims again. The AVMA welcomed the decision.