>From Dr. Eleanor Kellon: I'm already starting to get mails from people using the human generics and Permax saying that their pharmacies are out. All three pill producers have stopped manufacturing. It appears that the only way the pills will be produced again is if one of the 3 manufacturers appeals to the USDA for a special permit. If that happens, that single manufacturer will be the only source of pill form pergolide. Anyone currently using pills would be wise to switch to compounded.
*The most accurate way to dose compounded pergolide is in capsule form. In addition, anyone making a switch to a compounder should make sure that: 1. The compounder is fully licensed. 2. The compounder only uses bulk drugs that come from FDA approved drug wholesalers. Ask for the name of their pergolide bulk drug wholesaler. If it's not on the list below, don't use that compounder. The petition is going strong, creeping up on 700 signatures representing thousands of horses. In addition to signing the petition, I would encourage anyone who feels so inclined to contact the wholesalers directly by phone, fax or e-mail. When you do, be sure to mention the name of your compounding pharmacy. One or more of the wholesalers will recognize them as their clients and will be able to check their sales records. As soon as a wholesaler confirms they will continue to stock pergolide and keep the supply uninterrupted, we'll take them off our contacts list. Also provide a link to the petition when you contact them. This will be the quickest way to let them know we have a need - a BIG need! Remember, the drug is out there. The human market in the USA was very small compared to the rest of the world. This is what I sent the wholesalers over the weekend and this morning. Directly below that is a list of the FDA approved wholesalers who were stocking pergolide and all the contact info I currently have. Make your voice heard! ------------------------------- I am a veterinarian and co-owner of the over 5000 member Yahoo Equine Cushing's group. As you know, at the FDA's urging pergolide mesylate has been removed from the human market. The three US suppliers of pergolide tablets are no longer producing the drug. What you may not realize is that bulk sales of pergolide to compounders are largely going to the veterinary market. Pergolide is the only effective pharmacological therapy for horses with Cushing's Disease, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. I believe that drug wholesalers are unaware of the size of the veterinary market. It is critically important to keep pergolide available for veterinary use. The FDA action does not impact off-label use in horses. A web petition has been put up to collect signatures and comments regarding the use of pergolide in horses: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savepergolide/index.html The petition was put up noon on April 6. Despite the holiday weekend, there are already 14 pages of signatures, reflecting the needs of thousands of horses. This is only the tip of the iceberg. There are currently 10 to 12 million horses in the United States, of which approximately 10% are age 20 or older. It has been estimated that virtually any equine that lives long enough will develop the degenerative changes of dopaminergic neurons that leads to pituitary dysfunction and Cushing's disease. This disease may begin much earlier in some horses, in their teens. Pergolide is needed by these animals for the remainder of their life. We urge you to continue to stock pergolide mesylate. There is a market. Owners that had been relying on Permax or generic human tablets are already encountering shortages. There is an urgent need to keep an uninterrupted flow of pergolide mesylate to compounders. Eleanor M. Kellon, V.M.D. Equine Nutritional Solutions 58 Maple Farm Road Ephrata, PA 17522 Co-Owner, Yahoo Equine Cushings http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/ ============================= List of Wholesalers and Contact Information Gallipot Barbara Jones CEO [EMAIL PROTECTED] Michael Jones President [EMAIL PROTECTED] 2400 Pilot Knob Road St. Paul, Minnesota 55120 800-423-6967 Fax 800-339-1596 Medisca USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] 661 Route #3, Unit C Plattsburgh NY 12901 800-932-1039 Medisca Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6090 Henri-Bourassa West West Saint-Laurent, Quebec H4R 3A6 800-665-6334 Spectrum Chemicals 4422 S San Pedro St Gardena CA 90248-2027 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Annette Farioli 800-813-1514 Fax: 800-525-2299 Hawkins 800-375-0009 Letco Companies [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1316 Commerce Drive Decatur AL 35601 800-239-5288 Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA) 9901 South Wilcrest Drive Houston, TX 77099 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 800-331-2498 Fax 800-874-5760
