No more EPM vaccine? Vets please weigh in

[2DogsFarm]

Vet was here for Spring shots yesterday and told me:
1-Fort Dodge was bought out
2-Buyer had some sort of Fed investigation done that forced them to pull EPM vaccine from the market

So now what?

[Ghazzu]

I never used the stuff any road, so don't miss it.

I didn't see enough evidence it did anything.

[Calamber]

Same goes for me. Interesting info about Fort Dodge buyout and new owner though.

[ThoroughbredFancy]

I never knew there was an EPM vaccine. I was never offered it by a vet. We use multiple vets at the boarding barn and I don't recall any of the other vets offering it either or any of the boarders mentioning it.

[2DogsFarm]

So:
No vaccine for EPM means if a horse contracts the disease you just treat?
No preventative measures?

[ASB Stars]

I never used the stuff any road, so don't miss it.

I didn't see enough evidence it did anything.

Sure it does! It makes sure that the horse tests positive for exposure to EPM and it made Fort Dodge a boatload of money, based upon peoples fears, and no science.

Never say it wasn't useful! mad:

[JB]

While it was proven to be safe, it never panned out that it was actually effective as well, so no need for it.

[ASB Stars]

Not for nuthin', JB, but I have to disagree...

Challenging a horses immune system with anything is not necessarily a safe thing to do- to do so with a completely useless, and poorly conceived product is simply beyond the pale. This company rushed to get a product out- without caring about the possible consequences- just to play on the fears of horse owners.

Just one more reason I do not use anything they make.

[JB]

I think they HAD to prove it was "safe" (by whatever definition) before they could license it. They just didn't have to prove that it was actually effective enough.

All licensed vaccines out there have to be proven to be "safe". They have to then prove they are effective to whatever standard is to be met, or the license gets pulled, at least that's how I understand it.

Need Ghazzu or RAyers to confirm or correct :)

[ColoredHares]

Well, my guys have had the EPM vaccine for 5 years now. One of my guys, who started getting the vaccine as a weanling, collapsed with me last fall at the canter. I had had my vet do several examinations on him because he was tripping, and felt wiggly. Vet said nothing wrong--it's all in his head! But, he also did not really test that neurlogic... After the collapse, we did the new EPM blood test. Totally negative--not even close! So, after several trips to Ocala for x-rays, ultrasound, mylegram, and full body scan, the only thing that is positive is EPM. The spinal fluid test showed he was very positve with EPM. We've done 3 boxes of Marquis, and now are starting on an EPM suspension. He also gets 10,000 IU of vit. E. Thank goodness he's had good insurance. BUT, I also had told my ins. company that he had had the EPM vaccine since he was a weanling. They don't seem to be interested. OBVIOUSLY IT DOES NOT WORK :mad: I don't feed off the ground, my waterers are up high, I have horseman's no climb, and my food is stored in a closed area. I have no idea why he got EPM at 5..... I've given up trying to prevent it any more than I can.... It could have come in on the hay....

can I get a refund?????

[Androcles]

While it was proven to be safe, it never panned out that it was actually effective as well, so no need for it.

What do you mean by not panning out that it was effective? How so, in studies, field trials? And compared to what vaccines that are shown to be (in some manner?) effective?

[deltawave]

Yes, the vaccine was probably safe, according to FDA/USDA standards. Say what you like, we are fortunate to HAVE standards. Whether or not you believe that ANY stimulus to the immune system poses a risk is a matter of philosophy--theoretically, yes, one can kill a horse or a human with a vaccine, but the risk/benefit ratio is where the rubber meets the road and we all have to decide for ourselves and our animals.

The EPM vaccination was probably as safe as any other, but effectiveness was minimal. It's very difficult to formulate an effective vaccine against a complicated organism like the one that causes EPM.

[JB]

What do you mean by not panning out that it was effective? How so, in studies, field trials? And compared to what vaccines that are shown to be (in some manner?) effective?

The safety was met by having FD vaccinate 900 horses and follow them for, I think, a year. An insignificant number of issues arose - a few had some pain and/or swelling at the injection site, not uncommon with any vaccine, and no other adverse reactions were observed.

The efficacy though I think has been an issue from field reports. Because no one has yet figured out how to reliably induce EPM in horses, there couldn't be a test group. I believe the issue was that a high enough number of vaccinated horses were still coming down with the disease, hence, not effective enough.

Other diseases are reliably induced in trial horses, so that makes it easy to prove the effectiveness of a vaccine, though from what I understand about the first WNV vaccine, it too was released provisionally due to its safety, though not proven at the time to be technically effective, but due to the big scare, it was able to get out early. So, those vaccines have effectiveness proved by having some high % of horses not contract the disease they are exposed to after being vaccinated. Or, some lower % not contracting, plus some % contracting but in a milder form- I'm not totally sure of the exact requirements.

[McVillesMom]

YThe EPM vaccination was probably as safe as any other, but effectiveness was minimal. It's very difficult to formulate an effective vaccine against a complicated organism like the one that causes EPM.

Which, given the fact that approximately 80% of adult horses are seropositive for EPM (meaning that they have been exposed) shouldn't really surprise anyone. ;)

[BuddyRoo]

They got an extension on proving efficacy...it was never deemed unsafe. It just never could be proven effective.

I spoke directly with the company when my friend's vet pushed it on her even after the vaccine had been pulled. Her vet just happened to have some left in stock.

Never was unsafe. Just never showed efficacy. Was pulled over a year ago as I recall.