Cornell, Tufts scientists receive $2.5M from NIH for cancer studyNovember 14, 2017Cornell and Tufts University scientists have received a five-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to use dogs as a model for studying cancer immunotherapies. The dogs used in the study are treated with similar care as human patients, with the potential of being cured of lymphoma. Kristy Richards, Ph.D., MD, associate professor of Biomedical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine with a joint appointment at the Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine is co-principal investigator on the grant, along with Cheryl London, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, a research professor at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. The grant will investigate whether combinations of PD1 inhibitors and other targeted therapies may increase effectiveness of cancer treatment in dogs, thereby setting up the possibility for human trials. Clinical trials in dogs should begin in the next six months, at which time, the researchers will reach out to referring veterinarians for candidate canine patients with lymphoma. Veterinary oncologists at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine and at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Conn., will enroll and treat patients during the trials. Patients also will be enrolled at the …
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FDA withdraws draft guidance regarding animal drug compoundingNovember 14, 2017 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is withdrawing draft Guidance for Industry No. 230, "Compounding Animal Drugs from Bulk Drug Substances," in order to clarify that the agency intends to issue a new draft for public comment next year. The draft guidance issued in May 2015 proposed conditions under which the FDA generally would not take action against the compounding of animal drugs from bulk drug substances, with the goal of making such animal drugs available for patient care without jeopardizing the safety of animals and humans or compromising the animal drug approval process. Current law does not permit compounding of animal drugs from bulk drug substances, but the FDA recognizes circumstances exist where there is no approved drug that can be used or modified through compounding to treat a particular animal with a particular condition. In those limited situations, an animal drug compounded from bulk drug substances may be an appropriate treatment option. In developing the new draft, the FDA will carefully consider the issues specific to compounding animal drugs, including the significance of using compounded drugs as a treatment option in various veterinary settings and animal species. FDA will publish the new draft …
Purdue CVM expands after-school 'This Is How We Role' nationwideNovember 14, 2017 This Is How We "Role," an after-school role-modeling program aimed at diversifying the veterinarian-scientist workforce, is expanding with the help of four veterinary schools and colleges that received grants to partner with the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. The program, which focuses on elementary school students and is designed to increase awareness of the important role veterinarians play in keeping people and their pets healthy, is supported by the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a part of the National Institutes of Health. Purdue developed interactive science and math experiences for students in kindergarten through fourth grade, with a focus on those who are educationally disadvantaged due to socioeconomic status, race, or ethnicity. Now the program will be expanded beyond Purdue University to additional regions of the country through grants of $5,000 each. The grants were awarded to Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Purdue's CVM and Evaluation and Learning Research Center provide grant recipients with …
Jaguar Health receives AAVSB RACE approval for foal CENovember 13, 2017Jaguar Health Inc., a manufacturer of gastrointestinal products for both human prescription use and animals, announced today that the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) committee has reviewed and approved Jaguar's "Diarrhea in Foals" continuing education (CE) program as meeting the standards adopted by the AAVSB. The company's "Diarrhea in Foals" program has been approved by the AAVSB RACE committee to offer a total of 1.50 CE credits to each participating veterinarian or veterinary technician. The program may be repeated by Jaguar within the two-year program approval period at different locations and/or on different dates, with advance notice to AAVSB. "Participation in CE programs helps veterinarians and veterinary technicians remain apprised of current and cutting-edge veterinary care and helping veterinary professionals expand their clinical knowledge and learn about new technology helps them take better care of their patients," said Siobhan McAuliffe, MVB, DACVIM. Dr. McAuliffe served as the primary investigator for clinical studies conducted in 2015 for Neonorm™ Foal, Jaguar's plant-based antidiarrheal product for newborn horses.
WHO urges end to antibiotics use in healthy food-producing animalsNovember 10, 2017The World Health Organization (WHO) launched new guidelines regarding the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals, urging farmers and the food industry to stop using antibiotics to promote growth and prevent disease in otherwise healthy animals. The guidelines were announced ahead of World Antibiotic Awareness Week, Nov. 13-19. The WHO recommends an overall reduction in the use of all classes of medically important antibiotics in food-producing animals, including complete restriction of these antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention without diagnosis. Healthy animals should receive antibiotics only to prevent disease if it has been diagnosed in other animals in the same flock, herd, or fish population, according to the WHO. The new guidelines aim to help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics important for human medicine. They recommend that antibiotics used in animals should be among those that are the least important to human health, and not from those classified as "critically important." The European Union barred the practice in 2006, and a US ban on use of "medically important" antibiotics kicked in at the beginning of this year, according to the WHO. "A lack of effective antibiotics is as serious a security threat …
Tomlyn Veterinary Science partners with Jackson GalaxyNovember 10, 2017Tomlyn Veterinary Science, maker of veterinary-quality health and wellness supplements for pets, is partnering with cat expert and animal advocate, Jackson Galaxy to promote the company's Pill Masker paste for cats and dogs. Jackson will participate in Facebook Live events, where he'll answer questions about cats while providing tips to create a harmonious home for cats and their owners. The company also will be hosting a sweepstakes for one grand-prize winner to receive a 30-minute Skype session with Jackson Galaxy to help solve their cat-related problems, along with a selection of Tomlyn cat health products. The overall pet supplement market is approximately $580 million annually, growing 3.5 percent over 2016, as consumers turn to supplements for their pets. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are more than 79 million cats and dogs in the US alone. Close to 9 million of these pets (11 percent), according to their owners, struggle with taking medications, as reported in a survey conducted by Tomlyn and a Harris Poll.
VCA Shoreline Veterinary Referral & Emergency Center opens hemodialysis unitNovember 9, 2017VCA Shoreline Veterinary Referral & Emergency Center in Shelton, Conn., has opened the first hemodialysis unit for dogs and cats in the state of Connecticut. Hemodialysis, which has long been used in human medicine but relatively new to the veterinary field, helps manage acute or chronic pet kidney failure by filtering toxins from the blood. Kidneys with damage from toxic exposure or infection can often heal with temporary treatments, and animals with permanently damaged kidneys can benefit from treatments several times a week, said VCA in a statement. "This is the result of a vision I had of bringing this amazing modality to your cats and dogs," said Jethro Forbes, DVM, DACVECC, VCA Shoreline veterinary specialist. "This was truly a team effort and we are eager to offer this resource to the animals in our community." VCA Shoreline is one of only 35 Level 1 facilities in the country. A Level I emergency and critical care facility is a 24-hour acute care facility with the resources and specialty training necessary to provide sophisticated emergent and critical patient care. This facility is open to receive small animal emergency patients 24 hours a day, 7 …
Banfield Pet Hospital launches vet debt relief programNovember 9, 2017 Banfield Pet Hospital announced its new Banfield Veterinary Student Debt Relief Pilot Program, marking the latest development in the practice's commitment to supporting its associates' financial well-being, according to the company. The company is set to launch a new debt-relief program for its veterinarians next month. "High levels of veterinary student debt are plaguing the industry, and Banfield is committed to helping veterinarians address this significant burden," said Daniel Aja, DVM, senior vice president and chief medical officer for Banfield. "As we continue to dedicate ourselves to continuous improvement as a practice, we're investing in the new [program] to support our doctors first and foremost—but also set the bar for the veterinary profession to help address this industry-wide issue." The program for eligible doctors will include three main elements: A low-interest refinancing option with supplementary 0.25 percent interest-rate reduction from a third-party financial institution A monthly student-loan contribution of $150 paid by Banfield directly on qualifying student loans A one-time $2,500 payment for each qualifying Banfield student program in which the doctor participates prior to graduating Research shows veterinarians carry a staggering amount of student debt, averaging more than $167,000. "When I graduated from veterinary …
Animal Cancer Foundation receives $1 million for canine cancer genome projectNovember 8, 2017 The Animal Cancer Foundation (ACF), a national nonprofit organization that supports comparative oncology research that studies the similarities between cancers in people and pets to help find cures for both, has received a $1 million dollar donation from the Blue Buffalo Foundation. The grant will provide funding for the Canine Cancer Genome Project (CCGP), which will map the tumor genomes of the most common canine cancers. Understanding the genetic makeup of canine cancer tumors, and comparing their genetic makeup to those of people with cancer, will allow researchers to discover additional targeted drug therapies and the least toxic doses of those therapies that are most effective in curing the individual, whether canine or human, according to ACF. The initiative arose as a result of a review conducted in 2015 by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science and supported in part by ACF that highlighted the value of comparative oncology and the inclusion of veterinary oncologists in accelerating cancer drug development. ACF has pledged to raise an additional $1 million dollars in support of the CCGP. The fundraising effort is supported by Blue Buffalo Foundation, which has partnered with …
$295 million settlement preliminarily approved in Stericycle class actionNovember 8, 2017A $295 million settlement has been reached on behalf of a nationwide class of Stericycle customers, following a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of engaging in a price-increasing scheme that automatically inflated customers' bills up to 18 percent biannually, according to Hagens Berman class-action attorneys. The court granted preliminary approval, moving closer to final approval and implementation. Under the settlement agreement, Stericycle also will discontinue the pricing practices at the core of the lawsuit within 60 days of preliminary approval by the court. The company's compliance with the settlement terms will be monitored for three years by a retired federal district judge. "For years, Stericycle got away with a pricing scheme that boosted the bills of its customers, violating contracts and threatening the existence of small businesses paying for Stericycle's services," said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman. "We're incredibly pleased to bring both immediate financial relief and an end to this fraudulent billing practice to Stericycle's customers who have been plagued by inflated bills for so long." The settlement agreement affects Stericycle customers that had flat-fee Steri-Safe or variable "transactional" medical waste disposal contracts with the company and were subjected to …
