The effectiveness of therapeutic options in equine health care will be investigated through research grants established by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). The AAEP board of directors recently announced the appropriation of $25,000 to fund pilot studies.

Therapeutic options, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and physical therapy, continue to stimulate discussion among equine practitioners and horse owners regarding their benefit to the horse.

“The issue of therapeutic options has been discussed constantly for the past decade,” said Dr. Robert Lewis, AAEP president. “While opinions regarding efficacy vary widely, there has not been much serious, consistent scientific scrutiny of any of these treatment modalities. AAEP feels strongly that is where the true answers lie, and has taken this step in the interest of determining the facts about therapeutic options.”

Grant submissions are not restricted to members of the veterinary profession. Criteria for the proposals are deliberately non-restrictive to encourage ingenuity in scientifically evaluating therapeutic options. Deadline for submissions is Oct. 15, 1999. For more information about the therapeutic options grants contact Dr. Nathaniel White II, chairman of the AAEP Research Committee at nawhite@vt.edu, or phone 703/771-6800