| Comments: | Greetings! Important news for companion animal owners about a concurrent 5 and 7 year canine rabies vaccine challenge study fund and a national pet vaccine class action lawsuit (see below and read Aaron Miller's Lincoln County Weekly story Rabies Challenge Kicks Off Fundraiser http://www.courierpub.com/articles/2005/10/12/lincolncountyweekly/local_news/4news.txt Kay Liss's story Nationwide Campaign Launched to Fund Rabies Vaccine Study in the Lincoln County News at http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/index.cfm?ID=14204; Denise Flaim's 9/19/05 story Challenging the Rabies Vaccine in Newsday http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-lspets4432971sep19,0,1274963.column and Nancy Freedman Smith's Story in Maine Today, News, The Rabies Challenge Fund http://blogs.mainetoday.com/dogslife/002976.html) The Rabies Challenge Fund & Master Dog Training at the Womens Podcasting Expo - Show #42 Tue, 18 Jul 2006 12:00:00 GMT (52.2 Mb) http://www.replay-video.com/guide/index.php?start_page=http://applian.com/guide/view_podcast_details.php?show_id=2156 -- permission is granted to post and cross-post this message. Please help to spread the word so we can get these studies underway as soon as possible. Fort Dodge issued a recall of its RabVac 3 TF serial number 873113A rabies vaccine on May 25, 2006 after a vaccinated dog contracted rabies (see The Charlotte Observer article at http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/business/14786163.htm also see Dogs Adverse Reactions webpage: http://www.dogsadversereactions.com/RabvacRecall.html). According to Fort Dodge's recall letter, this batch of vaccine "was released into the veterinary market in November 2004 and expires June 29, 2006." Concerned pet owners or veterinarians can call Fort Dodge about the recalled vaccine is 800-533-8536. This link http://wyovet.uwyo.edu/Diseases_2006.asp will take you to the Wyoming State Vet Lab website which has posted the recall letter. Just click on the appropriate icon. Anyone wishing to have a copy of either the 1992 French challenge study data from a research team led by Michel Aubert in which dogs were demonstrated to be immune to a rabies challenge 5 years after vaccination, or Vascellari's study which documented cancerous tumors in dogs at presumed injection sites of rabies vaccine, please e-mail me. As of August 29, 2006, the following breed clubs, along with many pet owners, trainers, breeders, and kennel owners have contributed to The Rabies Challenge Fund: Akita Club of America American Shih Tzu Club Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Nashoba Valley Bernese Mountain Club of SE Wisconsin Capital City Cocker Club Chesapeake, Virginia Dog Fanciers Association Collie Club of Georgia Dog Agility Racing Team of Chino Great River Stockdog Club Heart of Minnesota Great Dane Club Kennel Club of Buffalo Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation Kishwaukee Kennel Club Kuvasz Fanciers of America Lehigh Valley Kennel Club Miniature Schnauzer Club of Southern California Northern Illinois Schutzhund Club Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club of Canada Pacific NW Jack Russell Terrier Rescue Network Soft-Coated Wheaton Terrier Club Staffordshire Terrier Club of America Standard Schnauzer Club of Southern California Wachusett Kennel Club Regards, Kris L. Christine Co-Founder, Co-Trustee The Rabies Challenge Fund http://www.zbirdbrain.com/PetAdvocatesTownHallCisSupportStudy.htm The Rabies Challenge Fund World-renowned vaccine research scientist and practicing veterinary clinician, Dr. W. Jean Dodds of California (http://www.hemopet.com), and pet vaccine disclosure advocate, Kris L. Christine of Maine, have established The Rabies Challenge Fund, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization (EIN # 84-6390682 501(c )(3) exempt registration) to raise money to fund concurrent 5 and 7 year rabies vaccine challenge studies in the United States. Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine (http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/people/ronald%20d%20schultz) will be conducting the challenge studies. He is one of the world's leading authoritieson veterinary vaccines and has been performing challenge studies since the mid-1970's. Dr. Schultz's data formed the scientific base for the American Animal Hospital Association's 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines. In addition to the challenge studies, the fund will finance a study of the adjuvants used in veterinary rabies vaccines and establish a rabies vaccine adverse reaction reporting system. Rabies vaccination is the one immunization required by law across the country for domestic dogs and cats, and researchers believe this vaccine causes the most and worst adverse reactions in animals. According to the August 2003 Journal of Veterinary Medicine, a research study by M. Vascellari and colleagues documents cancerous tumors in dogs at the presumed injection sites of rabies vaccinations. Although pets used to be vaccinated yearly for rabies, the majority of state protocols now require re-vaccination every three years. There are scientific data indicating that vaccinating dogs against rabies every three years is unnecessary. Results of Michel Aubert’s French challenge study published in 1992 demonstrated that dogs were immune to a rabies challenge 5 years after vaccination and the serological studies of Dr. Ronald Schultz (Professor and Chair of the Department of Patho-biological Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine) have shown that dogs have antibody titer counts at levels known to confer immunity 7 years after vaccination for rabies. The Rabies Challenge Fund has been founded to improve the safety of rabies vaccines and to determine, by challenge, if they confer immunity for 5 or 7 years. The Rabies Challenge Fund’s first official sponsors are Deb Odom (Florida) and Dawn Turner (Arizona), who have committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their pet vaccine informed consent posters and informational flyers. Tax-exempt donations (EIN # 84-6390682 501(c )(3) exempt registration) can be sent to THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND, c/o Hemopet, 11330 Markon Drive, Garden Grove, CA 92841. Credit Card Donations can be made by calling Hemopet at (714) 891-2022 The Rabies Challenge Fund poster and more information can be accessed at the Pet Advocate's Town Hall Website http://www.zbirdbrain.com/PetAdvocatesTownHallCisSupportStudy.htm. Kerry Blue Foundation Donates $5,000 to Rabies Challenge Fund The Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation (http://www.kerryblues.info) has generously donated $5,000 to The Rabies Challenge Fund, which was established to raise money to finance concurrent 5 and 7 year rabies vaccine challenge studies in the United States. It is spearheaded by world-renowned vaccine research scientist and practicing veterinary clinician, Dr. W. Jean Dodds of California, and pet vaccine disclosure advocate, Kris L. Christine of Maine. The Kerry Blue donation was announced by the Foundation’s President, John Van den Bergh. “As an educational organization, we are happy to be able to fund a study that will finally shed some light on vaccination research,” says Van den Bergh. He believes that by supporting The Rabies Challenge study, “We will have the ammunition to talk to legislators to bring the law in line with science.” Rabies vaccination is the one immunization required by law for domestic dogs and cats. Researchers believe this vaccine causes the most and worst adverse reactions in animals. . The August 2003 Journal of Veterinary Medicine reports a study by M. Vascellari and colleagues documenting cancerous tumors in dogs at presumed rabies vaccination injection sites. Scientific data indicate that vaccinating dogs against rabies triennially, as most states require, is unnecessary. In 1992 French researchers demonstrated dogs immune to a rabies challenge 5 years after vaccination (a challenge study involves control groups and “challenging” the animal’s immunity with live virus). The serological studies of Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine have shown dogs’ antibody titer counts at levels known to confer rabies immunity 7 years post-vaccination. The Rabies Challenge Fund has been founded to improve the safety of rabies vaccines and to determine, by challenge, if they confer immunity for 5 or 7 years. World-renowned vaccine research scientist and practicing veterinarian, Dr. W. Jean Dodds of California, and pet vaccine disclosure advocate Kris L. Christine of Maine have established The Rabies Challenge Fund to raise $1.5 million to fund the 5 and 7 year challenge studies, as well as a study of the adjuvants used in canine rabies vaccines and establish a rabies vaccine adverse reaction reporting system. Rabies is among the antigenically strongest vaccines, containing potent adjuvants to bolster the immune response. Rabies vaccines are documented to elicit severe and even fatal adverse reactions. According to Dr. Dodds, “giving them more often than truly needed is unwise, unnecessary, and can be unsafe.” She further states, “To date, most states require rabies vaccination every three years, but some states still require annual rabies revaccination, even though the USDA licenses these vaccines for three years” Dr. Dodds received the D.V.M. degree with honors in 1964 from the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Toronto. In 1965 she joined the New York State Health Department in Albany and began comparative studies of animals with inherited and acquired bleeding diseases. Her position there began as a Research Scientist and culminated as the chief of Laboratory of Hematology at the Wadsworth Center. In 1980 she also became Executive Director of the New York State Council on Human Blood and Transfusion Services. This work continued full-time until 1986 when she moved to Southern California to establish Hemopet, the first non-profit national blood bank program for animals. “Certainly, veterinarians are aware of the adverse reactions that can occur after rabies and other vaccinations in dogs and cats,” Dodds said. “The public is the body most motivated to address the issues here, because it is some of their beloved companions that have suffered by the existing regulations.” Other beneficial research to be financed by The Rabies Challenge Fund will be a safety study of adjuvants used to enhance the immune response in veterinary rabies vaccines. Some pet owners, like Kris Christine, believe the adjuvants may cause more adverse reactions than the actual vaccine -- her own dog developed a malignant mast cell tumor at the site of a rabies shot. “Unlike human vaccines where all adjuvants are required to be the same, there is no such standardization in veterinary medicine,” Christine said. “Hopefully, this study can be completed before the five and seven years of the parallel challenge studies, to make vaccines safer for our precious canine companions.” Pet Vaccine Lawsuit It's official -- the lawfirm of the Chicago lawfirm of Childress Duffy Goldblatt, Ltd. (petvaccine@childresslaw.net) 312-494-0200 -- attorneys Roy R. Brandys and John Sawin-- has posted an announcement on their website about the NATIONAL pet vaccine class action lawsuit that their firm is undertaking at http://www.childresslaw.net/CM/Custom/Custom52.asp "arising from the misrepresentation of the need for vaccinations for your pets." |
