Horse.com - Pergolide: FDA to Allow Compounding From Bulk

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine announced on May 11 it will allow bulk pergolide to be used in compounding pergolide for use in horses.

"A lot of hard work by a large number of people went into getting this resolution," Kellon [Eleanor Kellon, V.M.D.] said. "We've been working on it since the week after the announcement of the drug's withdrawal. It's been a long six weeks, but we're all pleased that the FDA acted in time to prevent any horses having to go without treatment."

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EquiSearch: FDA Clears Way for Compounding of Pergolide for Horses

A May 11 FDA announcement has cleared the way for compounding of pergolide for horses, but what does the fine print mean? Find out in this special bulletin from EQUUS magazine.

"What it boils down to is that they are allowing it for now," says Kellon [Eleanor Kellon, V.M.D.] "but if an actual drug company decides to start up manufacturing the pill form again or if a drug company wants to go down an official pathway to get it approved for equine use, the bulk compounding will again be considered illegal as soon as that source is up and running."

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New Horse.com Article on Pergolide Crisis!

Updated information and interview with Eleanor Kellon, VMD
Pergolide Availability: No FDA Announcement, Supplies Running Low
by: Erin Ryder, News Editor
May 04 2007 Article # 9526

"More than a month since pergolide mesylate, a drug commonly used to treat pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), also known as equine Cushing's disease, was withdrawn for human use, the FDA has yet to make an announcement on whether it will allow bulk shipments of the drug to be imported for veterinary use."

(read the complete article)

Time is Running Out

"There are an estimated 10 million or so horses in the United States, about 10% of which are in an age bracket that is classically high risk for Cushing's. If only 1% of those actually need and use pergolide, that's 10,000 horses that will likely have to be put down if (they don't have) medication," said Eleanor Kellon, VMD, co-owner of the Yahoo Equine Cushing's and Insulin Resistance Group. "The actual number is likely much higher. PPID is also being diagnosed much earlier now. It wouldn't surprise me if the actual number was closer to 50,000."
(quoted from The Horse.com )

This could be my horse, your horse, the elite Olympic eventer or the school horse teaching kids to ride. No breed or type of horse is immune. This site has been started to keep you current on the latest information in the fight to keep pergolide available for our horses. There is at present no viable alternative to pergolide to control Cushing's Disease (PPID) or to stave off the debilitating, often painful and life-threatening side effects of this disease.

To begin - please sign the Save Pergolide petition, then encourage your friends and veterinarian to sign.

Then use the links to write to Federal and State officials, your elected representatives, equine veterinarian associations, your state horse councils and groups. If you can think of a link that should be added, let us know by adding a comment to this (or any) article.

Thank you.

Equine Pergolide Action Now! Team Members