Older cats with osteoarthritis or chronic pancreatitis, as well as those who have oral cancers and many other cancerous conditions may require chronic narcotic therapy -- and buprenorphine is the safest, most effective and if used transbuccallly, the easiest for owners to administer. While we may be seeing these cats regularly (weekly initially in treatment, then often monthly once treatment is complete), cats and their owners do not appreciate having to come in to the hospital for a physical exam weekly just to continue their necessary pain medications. I would urge the Board to make an exemption for cats with chronic, debilitating, painful, and terminal illnesses allowing veterinarians to be able to prescribe and dispense buprenorphine for longer than seven days. Monthly recheck exams would enable us to maintain good control of these tiny volumes of dispensed buprenorphine, as well as enabling us to check on a patient's welfare and adjust treatment plan to suit.