Greetings!
Just out (10/12/05 issue) on the front page with the full poster in
COLOR!!! (!!)-- Aaron Miller's Lincoln County Weekly story Rabies
Challenge Kicks Off Fundraiser
http://www.courierpub.com/articles/2...ekly/local_ne=
ws/4news.txt
Rabies Challenge kicks off fundraiser
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BY AARON MILLER
ALNA - A world-renown vaccine research scientist has teamed up with a
local woman to raise money to fund a seven-year rabies vaccine challenge
study.
Dr. W. Jean Dodds of California and Alna resident Kris Christine are
spearheading The Rabies Challenge Fund, an effort to raise $1.5 million
to finance two concurrent canine rabies vaccine challenge studies - one
for five years and another for seven years. In addition, the funds will
pay for a study of canine rabies vaccine adjuvants and will set up a
rabies vaccine adverse reactions reporting system.
The purpose is to determine, by challenge studies designed according to
USDA acceptable federal licensing standards, if they confer immunity for
five or seven years. 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, according to Dodds.
"As rabies vaccines are known to elicit severe and even fatal adverse
reactions, and are among the strongest vaccines antigenically and
contain potent adjuvants to bolster their immunologic effect, giving
them more often than truly needed is unwise, unnecessary, and can be
unsafe," Dodds said.
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
nonprofit national blood bank program for animals.
She supported Wiscasset Rep. Peter Rines' proposed legislation "LD 429,
An Act to Require Veterinarians to Provide Vaccine Disclosure Forms,"
aimed at providing information regarding proven or demonstrated
durations of immunity as well as advantages and disadvantages of
vaccines. A legislative committee recommended that the proposal ought
not to pass, but asked Maine veterinarians to voluntarily provide such
information to pet owners. Veterinarians were asked to report back to
the committee in December, 2005.
Cynics have said the real reason some states still hold out for the
annual rabies revaccination is to generate additional licensing revenue,
Dodds said.
According to an August 2004 Veterinary Economics cover story entitled
Targeting Changing Vaccine Protocols, "In the 1970s and 1980s many
veterinarians derived a substantial percent of their total incomes from
vaccinating dogs and cats." Roger F. Cummings and James E. Guenther
wrote that "in many practices today, the vaccination reminder is the one
thing that drives visits from healthy pets."
The only vaccination for pets required by Maine law is rabies
immunization, according to Maine Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Robert
Gholson. It's difficult to determine how often cats and dogs receive
vaccinations because recommendations are driven by the drug
manufacturers, Gholson said in an earlier interview. He said
veterinarians will take those recommendations into account as well as
the pets' lifestyles, but discussing vaccinations with clients can be
difficult.
Christine, who inadvertently learned her veterinarian administered an
unneeded vaccination to her dog, Meadow, said the challenge study is
long overdue.
"We need to make it safe, which I believe the study will help with and
determine how long these vaccines provide immunity," Christine said.
Funds raised will be donated to veterinary medical universities in the
United States to conduct the scientific studies and to set up the
adverse reporting system.
Since setting up the bank account in mid-September, about $2,500 has
been raised so far. The funds are being collected and deposited into a
separately designated bank account (Rabies Challenge Fund) by Dodds'
Hemopet staff. Both Christine and Dodds are in the process of setting up
a separate 501(c)(3) charitable trust for this fund. Funds raised will
be donated to veterinary medical universities in the United States to
conduct the scientific studies.
"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."
Donations may be sent to: The Rabies Challenge Fund, c/o Hemopet, 11330
Markon Drive, Garden Grove, CA, 92841.
Aaron Miller may be reached at