What is the Veterinary Pesticide Incident Reporting Portal (VIRP)?
The portal was created so that veterinarians and their staff could
report adverse reactions to pesticides observed in animals. Its
purpose is to collect detailed medical information for use by
pesticide regulators at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). Incident reports can be used to determine whether any
product(s) might pose unacceptable risks to pets, and what steps might
be needed to reduce those risks.
The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) developed the
portal. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible
for regulating pesticides. They provided input in the development of
the portal, as did the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents and the AVMA Clinical
Practitioners Advisory Committee.
Who can use the portal?
The portal is designed for veterinarians and other veterinary
professionals. It is not for use
by
the general
public. Some of
the portal's fields require detailed medical information about the
animal, signs of poisoning, and outcomes that require veterinary
expertise. The portal was designed to collect the kind of information
that is most helpful to regulators. For an overview of the portal click here.
You can access the portal
at http://npic.orst.edu/vet.
How long does it take to submit incident reports?
The portal has been designed to be efficient and easy to use. A
report can be submitted in five minutes or less. Veterinary
technicians with direct knowledge of the case may also submit
reports. When you take the time to report these incidents, you are
helping to make products in the marketplace safer for pets.
Call the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at
1-800-858-7378. If you would rather submit the report verbally, one of
our specialists can file the report for you.
Date Reviewed: December 2011
NPIC fact sheets are designed to answer questions
that
are
commonly
asked by the general public about pesticides that are regulated by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). This document is
intended to be educational in nature and helpful to consumers for
making decisions about pesticide use.
