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Medicines for "Exotic" Pets
Nearly everyone on my friendslist has a pet. Roughly half have non-cat/dog/farm animals as pets. What many of us don't realize is that not only is it hard to find a vet who even understands the unique problems of our pet's species (or sometimes even our pet's class [mammal/bird/reptile/amphibian/fish...]), but that when our "exotic" pets are prescribed medicine, the vet typically has little or no information about the safety of its use on our pet's species. They are prescribing the medicine "off-label" when they give our pets anesthesia, kidney medicine, or even antibiotics.
One reason for this is that there's a lot more money involved in the more "popular" pets (cats and dogs) as well as in farm animals but there's less to gain from the smaller species, so the pet pharmaceutical companies don't generally put as much money into the research of drugs for them. Another related reason is that all drugs for pets need to be approved by the FDA, and the FDA charges large fees for the approval process. Since pharma companies are willing to put down a lot of money for a product that will sell a lot, they willingly pay these approval fees for drugs for dogs, cats, cows, horses, chicken, and turkey, but not for turtles, guinea pigs, cockatiels, amazon grays, cockatoos, lizards, beta fish, emu, goats, llamas, and so on.
Now here comes the interesting part - the part where we can do something. There was a bill passed in 2004, the Minor Use and Minor Species (MUMS) Animal Health Act of 2004, that allowed lower fees for drugs for these "exotic" pets and less common farm animals (such as goats or llamas), however for it to actually happen it needs funding. It's now 2007 bordering on 2008 and that hasn't happened yet. Should the fees be lowered, then pharma companies wouldn't have to spend as much to get drugs for our "exotic" pets approved, could still turn a profit on them, and therefore we'd have more reliable and safe drugs available for our littlest and strangest family members. So it's time to do something.
Find your Reps
Call a Rep
Reps that can make the most difference - they're on the Agriculture Committee
Write a letter to your Rep - this link lets you look up and write to your Federal reps, and you can follow the model letter I've written below or write your own.
(Yes, I do understand I'm being a bit alarmist and overstating the problem about birds and anesthetics; it seems appropriate here though.)
X-posted to various. Feel free to forward or repost this at will.
One reason for this is that there's a lot more money involved in the more "popular" pets (cats and dogs) as well as in farm animals but there's less to gain from the smaller species, so the pet pharmaceutical companies don't generally put as much money into the research of drugs for them. Another related reason is that all drugs for pets need to be approved by the FDA, and the FDA charges large fees for the approval process. Since pharma companies are willing to put down a lot of money for a product that will sell a lot, they willingly pay these approval fees for drugs for dogs, cats, cows, horses, chicken, and turkey, but not for turtles, guinea pigs, cockatiels, amazon grays, cockatoos, lizards, beta fish, emu, goats, llamas, and so on.
Now here comes the interesting part - the part where we can do something. There was a bill passed in 2004, the Minor Use and Minor Species (MUMS) Animal Health Act of 2004, that allowed lower fees for drugs for these "exotic" pets and less common farm animals (such as goats or llamas), however for it to actually happen it needs funding. It's now 2007 bordering on 2008 and that hasn't happened yet. Should the fees be lowered, then pharma companies wouldn't have to spend as much to get drugs for our "exotic" pets approved, could still turn a profit on them, and therefore we'd have more reliable and safe drugs available for our littlest and strangest family members. So it's time to do something.
Find your Reps
Call a Rep
“Hello. This is XXX calling from XX county. I am calling to ask Senator XX to support the Minor Use Drug Program (NRSP-7) as it is an essential program for maintaining the health and welfare of minor animal species. Would you please ask Senator XX to contact Senator Harkin and Senator Chambliss and ask them to support reinstating NRSP-7 in the resolution budget for 2008?” [source - also where I found out about this issue]
Reps that can make the most difference - they're on the Agriculture Committee
Note: If you live in any of the states below, the following US Senators would be especially influential in helping NRSP-7. These senators are on the Agriculture Committee (except for Diane Feinstein). Contact information is for Washington, DC offices. All of these Senators also have regional offices. The telephone numbers for the regional offices can be found on their web pages.
Tom Harkin (IA): 202-224-3254 or http://harkin.senate.gov/
Patrick Leahy (VT): 202-224-4242 or http://leahy.senate.gov/
Kent Conrad (ND): 202-224-2043 or http://conrad.senate.gov/
Max Baucus (MO): 202-224-2651 or http://baucus.senate.gov/
Blanche Lincoln (Arkansas): 202-224-4843 or http://lincoln.senate.gov/
Debbie Stabenow (MI): 202-224-4822 or http://stabenow.senate.gov/
E. Benjamin Nelson (Nebraska): 202-224-6551 or http://bennelson.senate.gov/
Ken Salazar (CO): 202-224-5852 or http://salazar.senate.gov/
Sherrod Brown (OH): 202-224-2315 or http://www.sherrodbrown.com/
Robert Casey, Jr. (PA): 202-224-6324 or 866-802-2833 Toll Free or http://casey.senate.gov/
Amy Klobuchar (MN): 202-224-3244 or http://klobuchar.senate.gov/
Saxby Chambliss (GA): 202-224-3521or http://chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm
Richard Lugar (Indiana): 202-224-4814 or http://lugar.senate.gov/
Thad Cochran (Mississippi): 202-224-5054 or http://cochran.senate.gov/
Mitch McConnell (KY): 202-224-2541 or http://mcconnell.senate.gov/
Pat Roberts (KS): 202-224-4774 or http://roberts.senate.gov/public/
Lindsey Graham (South Carolina): 202-224-5972 or http://lgraham.senate.gov/
Norm Coleman, MN: 202-224-5641 or http://coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=News.AudioVideo
Mike Crapo (Idaho): 202-224-6142 or http://crapo.senate.gov/
John Thune, South Dakota: 202-224-2321 or 1-866-850-3855 (toll Free) or http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.DCOffice
Charles Grassley (IA): 202-224-3744 or http://grassley.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Offices
Dianne Feinstein (CA): 202-224-3841 or http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/
[same source]
Write a letter to your Rep - this link lets you look up and write to your Federal reps, and you can follow the model letter I've written below or write your own.
Honorable Sir or Madam,
I am writing to you today asking you to support the Minor Use Drug Program (NRSP-7), and to contact Senator Harkin and Senator Chambliss and ask them to support reinstating NRSP-7 in the resolution budget for 2008. I live and vote in Town, State, and I work as *blah* in Town, State.
The Minor Use Drug Program is intended to help the health and welfare of minor animal species. Although most pets in the nation are the popular cats and dogs, many of us have chosen more "exotic" companion species for various reasons. For me, it is a cockatiel (a small parrot), and my reason is allergies to all species with fur. Others may have chosen lizards, turtles, fish, hamsters, or many other pet species besides the two standards.
Because the fees involved in FDA approval of drugs for animals are so high, pharmaceutical companies often choose not to bother with the approval process for exotic pets (not to mention the less common farm animals, such as goats, emu, and llamas). This means that when our animals become ill, we are not able to provide them with the safest, most effective drugs for their condition. Many companion birds die when given anesthetics due to insufficient information about dosage and sensitivities. My last bird was administered medicine for kidney problems that was not approved for birds, and we do not know how effective it was. Even should our pets catch a simple bacterial infection, vets cannot prescribe antibiotics without it being an off-label usage.
I urge you to support NRSP-7 in the resolution budget for 2008. Please feel free to contact me should you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
(Yes, I do understand I'm being a bit alarmist and overstating the problem about birds and anesthetics; it seems appropriate here though.)
X-posted to various. Feel free to forward or repost this at will.