Weekly News - 12/22/2009
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| Veterinary Advantage would like to thank its sponsors in promoting excellence in animal health sales including Dechra, HealthLink, IDEXX, Merial, Midmark, Sempermed, UltiCare and VSSI. |
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Publishers Note Last week we received some comments on one of the stories we included in The Advantage Weekly News, “VetMedicines.com offering discount products from licensed veterinarians.” It was not our intent to condone the activities of the company mentioned in the story, but to keep our readers abreast of their activities. Since the story ran amidst a number of other stories featuring companies who strongly support the animal health distribution business and its customers, its presence in our one of our products, which are all about promoting excellence in animal health sales, may have been confusing. In the future we will continue to bring forth these types of stories because we believe they are important to the channel, but will do so under the subhead of “Worth Watching…” And from all of us at Vet-Advantage, may your holidays be filled with peace, happiness and joy! |
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Top Stories Vet pharmacy’s future discussed Virbac pet dental campaign to launch in January IDEXX test confirms canine H1N1 infection Hospira issues recall of propofol Sanofi to purchase Chattem HELP Committee approves food safety bill |
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Products to Watch Conditional license for Pfizer H1N1 vaccine for swine issued Needle-free vaccines in the works Abaxis(R) Inc. introduces Avian Influenza Antigen Test into market Heska installs new chemistry analyzer |
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Events Brakke Consulting’s 2010 industry overview at NAVC and WVC |
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Worth Watching Antibiotic resistance discussed on Capitol Hill panel |
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Top Stories |
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Vet pharmacy’s future discussed Veterinary Forum recently chronicled possible key points in the future of veterinary pharmacy, specifically that it is at “an important crossroads, and veterinarians will ultimately determine whether it remains an important profit center or continues to be eroded by outside competition.” The article stressed that success will come from veterinarians stocking competitively priced, veterinary-labeled products rather than human generics, and that new models and methods should be considered. Suggestions for veterinary practices included: Educating clients about pet insurance to help them afford needed medications; Providing a Web-based pharmacy if clients find this convenient; Reminding clients to administer medications on schedule; Monitoring product turnover and stock products according to need and use. |
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Virbac pet dental campaign to launch in January Virbac Animal Health will launch its “Clean Every Tooth Pet Home Dental Care” campaign in January, according to Veterinary Practice News. The campaign, which will provide veterinarians with client education materials, supports the annual National Pet Dental Month in February. The C.E.T. Pet Home Dental Care allows veterinarians to recommend the most appropriate home dental care program based on each patient’s stage of disease and the owner’s ability to comply with recommendations. |
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IDEXX test confirms canine H1N1 infection IDEXX Reference Laboratories announced that a canine sample submitted by the Katonah Bedford Veterinary Center in Bedford Hills, N.Y., tested positive with the IDEXX H1N1 Influenza Virus RealPCR™ Test. The result was then independently verified by Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory. IDEXX introduced the H1N1 Influenza Virus RealPCR Test earlier this year after H1N1 infection was confirmed as the cause of respiratory disease in a number of cats and ferrets. These pets are believed to have contracted the virus from their owners. |
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Hospira issues recall of propofol Hospira is recalling certain lots of propofol injectable emulsion 1% and certain lots of Liposyn intravenous fat emulsion because some containers may contain particulate matter. Hospira said it identified stainless-steel manufacturing equipment as the source of the particulate matter and has implemented corrective actions. The recall affects 73 lots of propofol 1% and 85 lots of Liposyn II 10%, Liposyn II 20%, Liposyn III 10%, Liposyn III 20%, and Liposyn III 30% that begin with the lot numbers 79 and 80. Hospira distributed these lots between July and October. Those with inventory of these products should quarantine them and call Stericycle at (866) 654-0725 to arrange for a return. |
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Sanofi to purchase Chattem Sanofi-Aventis SA agreed to buy Chattem Inc., the maker of Gold Bond medicated body powder, for $1.9 billion, according to Bloomberg News Services. The purchase was made to enter the U.S. consumer health care market. The purchase will create the world’s fifth-largest consumer health company by revenue, Sanofi said. The company plans to use the deal to convert its Allegra allergy drug to an over-the-counter medicine marketed by Chattem. |
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HELP Committee approves food safety bill The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved a bill designed to prevent food borne illness and give the Food and Drug Administration more authority in addressing food safety problems, American Chronicle reported. The HELP Committee unanimously approved S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., “worked to include language that directs the FDA to work harder at partnering with states on food safety, protect the needs of small businesses, and ensure that foods regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, such as fresh meats, remain regulated by the Department of Agriculture,” the American Chronicle reported. |
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Products to Watch |
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Conditional license for Pfizer H1N1 vaccine for swine issued The USDA has issued a conditional license to Pfizer Animal Health for a pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine intended to vaccinate pigs against the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, a report said. This is the first pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine license issued by USDA, according to the report. “USDA and its partners in animal health have worked hard to expedite the development of a vaccine for the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus,” said Cindy Smith, Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. “This vaccine will help producers protect their swine herds and protect themselves from economic losses in the event that their herds contract this virus.” USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issues conditional licenses for veterinary biologics products to meet an emergency situation, limited market, local situation or special circumstance. The special circumstance addressed here is the need for a product to vaccinate pigs against the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus. Under these regulations, a product that is shown to be pure and safe and that demonstrates a reasonable expectation of efficacy may be licensed while data to establish efficacy and potency are still being obtained. |
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Needle-free vaccines in the works The Wall Street Journal reported that GlaxoSmithKline PLC now has a deal with an Austrian firm to develop needle-free vaccines delivered through a patch. Glaxo said it will make an initial payment of euro 33.6 million ($46 million) to Vienna-based Intercell AG to gain access to both the patch technology and the marketing rights to experimental patch vaccines for traveler’s diarrhea and pandemic flu. Glaxo will also spend up to euro 84 million over time to buy up to 5% of Intercell’s stock. The companies said they would share profits from the sale of any vaccines that reach the market. |
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Abaxis(R) Inc. introduces Avian Influenza Antigen Test into market Abaxis, Inc. announced it has entered the production animal diagnostics marketplace with its first product, a rapid Avian Influenza Antigen Test. This is a USDA-licensed test for Avian Influenza Type A nucleoprotein antigen in chickens, turkeys and ducks. The disposable, non-instrumented device, providing results in 15 minutes, can be used in the field or in a laboratory of any size. |
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Heska installs new chemistry analyzer Heska Corporation announced the first customer installation of the company’s new DRI-CHEM® 7000 Veterinary Chemistry Analyzer (the “DRI-CHEM® 7000″). Customers receiving these analyzers have invested in the fastest multi-patient clinical chemistry analyzer available to the veterinary in-clinic market. The DRI-CHEM® 7000 analyzer provides the same testing flexibility of the DRI-CHEM® 4000 Veterinary Chemistry Analyzer plus additional advantages such as multiple-patient staging, auto-dilution and a new “STAT” sample feature which provides emergency sample flexibility in critical cases. |
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Events |
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Brakke Consulting’s 2010 industry overview at NAVC and WVC Brakke Consulting will be presenting its annual U.S. Animal Health Industry Overview at the North American Veterinary Conference and the Western Veterinary Conference in 2010. The NAVC Overview will be held Jan. 18, from 2-4 p.m., at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Fla. The WVC Overview will be held Feb. 16, 2-4 p.m., at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. To register, go to www.brakkeconsulting.com and look for the Overview link in the “What’s New” box. Payment by major credit card is required at time of registration. |
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Worth Watching |
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Antibiotic resistance discussed on Capitol Hill panel Food Safety News recently reported Congressional staff heard from a panel on the public health hazards of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) and the increase in antibiotic-resistant pathogens, two public health issues that are tied to the safety and sustainability of the food system. The Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming, which co-hosted the briefing with U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said that one reason for the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria is the overuse of drugs on industrial farms. “Antibiotics important to human health are fed to food animals at low doses, often over long periods of time, creating a breeding ground for new and resistant bacteria and a potentially hazardous workplace.” Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY), the primary sponsor of legislation aimed at addressing antibiotic resistance, invited the panelists to brief staffers on the myriad of public health risks associated with CAFOs and the routine use of antibiotics in agriculture. |
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