Important update for Vetsulin users: Nov 12, 2009

Intervet urges transition from Vetsulin

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health (ISP) is urging veterinarians to transition their diabetic patients off of its veterinary insulin product, Vetsulin. The company is advising veterinarians to be cautious in the transition to other insulin products in order to avoid complications. And company representatives also said that practices can obtain refunds on unopened vials of the product.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with ISP, issued a product alert on Vetsulin, after batches of the product were found to be out of specification. Vetsulin, a porcine insulin zinc suspension used to treat diabetes in dogs and cats, contains crystalline insulin and amorphous insulin. The concentration of the crystalline component was higher than what is outlined in the specifications of the product, the company said, which ?could potentially result in your patients experiencing a delay in the onset of action, a delay in peak activity, and an overall extension of the duration of activity.? However, the company also noted that no occurrences of this have been documented.

In a conference call Nov. 10, Intervet/Schering-Plough representatives addressed veterinary industry professionals regarding this issue. They said Vetsulin would continue to be manufactured, but supplies in the United States will be limited. The company said that veterinarians should begin to transition their current patients using Vetsulin to other insulin products, and any new patients should not be started on Vetsulin.

Veterinarians are eligible for refunds for unopened vials and for U-40 syringes but no word yet on consumer refunds. See the vetsulin web site at http://www.vetsulin.com for more info.