Veterinarians
are warning dog and cat owners that millions of dollars are being
dished out for unnecessary and often dangerous vaccines. An open letter
was written warning pet owners that several vaccines given to their
pets on an annual basis, lasted much longer. It was also noted that
vaccinations for conditions such as distemper, cat flu and parva virus
could last sometimes up to a lifetime.
The pharmaceutical industry has been accused of several types of
fraud including fraud by misrepresentation, fraud by silence and
theft by deception.
Despite these accusations, drug companies claimed they are bound
by rules issued by licensing authorities. They also claimed that
in order to prove immunities last for three or four years at a time,
or for life, it would require constant testing of a large number
of cats and dogs.
The open letter also revealed the increased risk of "adverse
post-vaccination events" including problems such as autoimmune
disorders, transient infections and a risk of cancer in cats. Vaccine
experts also claimed that they based their vaccine recommendations
upon science, which doesn’t provide them the longevity of the
vaccine in any individual animals.
BBC
News April 1, 2004
