The United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) Committee of Infectious Diseases of Horses was the first introduction of the new draft uniform methods and rules for equine infectious anemia (EIA). Tim Cordes, DVM, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Equine Programs, with USDA, APHIS, explained the new rules to the group, and he gave samples of the draft EIA forms to veterinarians in attendance.

The significant changes on the form, Cordes said, were having the address of the owner appear, changing nomenclature location for easier use of standardized language, getting rid of carbon sheets, and an optional certification for the owner that was designed to protect the attending veterinarian from the owner falsifying the form.

New rules in association with the new forms allow the testing laboratory to reject incomplete forms. The new rules also put in place a $10,000 fine plus five years imprisonment for falsifying EIA forms.

The new documents will be tried for one year. Then any modifications will be made before nation-wide implementation