GOV. Plans on pulling Supplements

I received the following message in my e-mail yesterday and thought it may be of interest to some of you. So many of our furry friends need these supplements to survive. I ask myself...what will we do for them if these supplements are pulled? In some cases these supplements have saved an animal from very invasive surgery.





THE US GOVERNMENT HAS PLANS TO TAKE PET SUPPLEMENTS AWAY


WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW!

(There is a sample letter below, which you can copy and email or snail mail and the appropriate websites on which to find your particular representatives,to which you will want to write the letters.)

A huge new initiative to remove animal supplements for sale is coming. Any supplement labeled specifically for animals containing ingredients targeted by FDA/AAFCO - whether it is on pet or health food stores, will have to be pulled. This affects everything from herbs and nutraceuticals to some health and prescription diets. While you will still be able to buy supplements designed for humans, they will be designed without attention to the unique needs (size, biochemistry) of animals.

There is a sample letter below, which you can copy and email or snail mail and the appropriate websites on which to find your particular representatives, to which you will want to write the letters.

A final decision will be made by AAFCO in April and after that, the supplements will start disappearing. AAFCO appears to be leaning towards targeting glucosamine first. Do you know how many animal supplements that will effect? See for yourself on the AAFCO website (www.aafco.org) - go to the bottom of the home page and click the link entitled "DRAFT AAFCO Recommended Enforcement Strategy".

It is time to start a letter writing campaign, the likes of which we have never had before. We believe that preventing this will take an act of congress, just like DSHEA did in 1994 (The FDA received more letters regarding freedom to buy supplements than on any other subject since the Vietnam war, and the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA) was passed as a result). We will need tens of thousands of letters for our animals, this time.

I'm supplying a template letter below, for your own use, and for distributing to your friends. This can also be used as a petition for you to place in your favorite pet store, feed store, groomer and veterinarian's office. This will be a political fight, and we need legislators on our side. Please write, and have your friends write to, all of the people

below.

Dr. Sharon Benz, Leader Nutrition & Labeling Team
FDA - CVM
Center for Veterinary Medicine
7500 Standish Place, HFV-228
Rockville, Maryland 20855

The president of AAFCO:
Dr. John Breitsman, Feed Program Specialist
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry
2301 N. Cameron Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408

Your AAFCO state representatives (you can search by state on their website): http://www.aafco.org. Your federal legislators (you can search by state and area code on this website): http://www.visi.com/juan/congress We need to be able to treat our patients with supplements designed for animals - in appropriate doses, with appropriately chosen ingredients, from ethical companies. Please cross-post - support from EVERYONE will be necessary soon!
Sincerely,
Susan Wynn
Secretary/Treasurer, American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition
Executive Director, Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association


******SAMPLE LETTER*********************
Dear [insert name of senator, representative, AAFCO representative, AAFCO head, and FDA head here]:

I am a pet owner and I am extremely concerned about removal from sale of supplements designed for animals. I am not aware of such a number of side effects that this drastic action should be necessary. I want supplements that are designed by veterinarians knowledgable in animal medicine, and that are appropriate in dose and chemistry for my [dog, cat, horse, etc]. I believe that if these supplements are made illegal, research on supplements for companion animals will be stifled, and we want research
done on these helpful but non-patentable substances. People will be left with no choice but to reach for human supplements which are not formulated for animals and left to completely guess at what course of action may be best for the pet they dearly love. Removal of animal supplements from sale will not solve the problem; indeed, it will significantly worsen the situation. Please, let's avoid a New "Prohibition" of substances that we have used safely and successfully for many years.


Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,


CC: your federal legislators
Your state AAFCO official
AAFCO president
FDA-CVM

THIS MAKES ME SO MAD!!!
It's not just the animal supplements they are after. The drug companies are in a snit because they are not making money off the supplements. They have been targeting people supplements a lot during the last year. Suddenly, scare stories are appearing about how dangerous supplements are. Yeah, dangerouse to drug companies pockets. If they would make the drugs needed available at a price those of us who need them (who happen to be on limited incomes a lot of the time) could afford, we wouldn't need to look for a supplement. They've shot themselves in the foot and don't like the pain. I, myself take glucosamine for my arthritis. Glucosamine, by the way, started out as an animal supplement for arthritis in animals. It's been tested in Europe on people and proven safe and effective in lots of cases. The American Arthritis Foundation even suggests trying it, under doctor supervision, of course. It not only helps the pain but I can afford it. No way could I afford the $70 + a month drugs they try to push off on us. (Which didn't work for me anyway!!)

If they are successful at getting the animal supplements off, you watch, people's will be right after them.

Please note: I am not insensitive to the fact that the real losers would be the animals who need the suplements.

I will now get off my soapbox. Sorry, but I just had to vent a little.