| Contact: |
Kent
Stirling
Florida HBPA
(305) 935-4700
|
Jon
Sendach
The Rowland Co.
(212) 527-8831 |
Florida
HBPA Reports On Results of Equine Screening Program
Hallandale,
Fla, April 4, 2000 -- The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and
Protective Association (HBPA) announced today the results of the
first-ever ulcer screening program held at Gulfstream Park. The
program used a procedure known as gastroscopy to demonstrate the
presence of stomach ulcers in horses to veterinarians, trainers
and owners and was part of a larger horse health initiative brought
to Gulfstream Park in conjunction with Merial's gold level sponsorship
this season.
Experts
from Merial, the maker of GASTROGARD® (omeprazole) Paste,
the first and only equine gastric ulcer medication approved by
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, were on-site at Gulfstream
on Feb. 10, 11, and 12 to offer the gastroscopy free of charge
to trainers and owners.
The
program revealed that 86 percent of racehorses evaluated had ulcers.
The new data are consistent with previous studies that demonstrated
ulcers in an overwhelming majority of racehorses, as high as 93
percent. Of the 86 percent of racehorses at Gulfstream that were
diagnosed with ulcers, 78 percent were Grade III (most severe),
18 percent were Grade II, and 4 percent were Grade I (least severe).
"The
Florida HBPA is dedicated to bringing horsemen the best available
programs and services, and animal healthcare is certainly at the
top of our list," said Scott Savin, president, FHBPA. "This yearŐs
meet at Gulfstream Park marked the first time a company has used
its sponsorship to truly benefit the Gulfstream equine community
and, more importantly, to improve the overall health of these
equine athletes."
Equine
gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is becoming more widely discussed
by trainers and owners after the release of a recent study of
565 horses at major racetracks nationwide confirmed that more
than 90 percent of racehorses had ulcers. As horses lined up to
be scoped, veterinarians were on-site to discuss EGUS and its
warning signs with trainers and owners, and to offer important
advice on its management.
The
only definitive tool for diagnosing ulcers is the gastroscope,
a device that uses a small camera to allow veterinarians to visualize
the lining of the stomach. "Gastroscopes allow direct visualization
of the stomach lining," noted Dr. Tom Brokken of Teigland, Franklin,
and Brokken, DVMs, P.A., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., who participated
in the scoping program on-site at Gulfstream Park. "However, with
only about 40 gastroscopes available nationwide, many are unable
to take advantage of this important diagnostic tool. It's rewarding
to participate in bringing this technology directly to those who
can benefit."
"The
professionals working at the racetracks are becoming more aware
of the devastating effects ulcers can have on the overall health
and performance of their horses," explained Graham Lumsden, BVM&S,
Dip.M., equine director, global marketing, Merial. "Peak health
and performance is a joint effort between the trainer, owner and
veterinarian, and Merial is hoping to be a part of each winning
team."
Historically,
Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) has been treated with a variety
of products, but no other compound currently in use, including
H2 blockers like cimetidine and ranitidine, has been proven effective
in well-controlled studies or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration for treatment of equine gastric ulcers. GASTROGARD
is the first and only product proven to heal and prevent recurrence
of ulcers in horses.
In
clinical field studies, GASTROGARD Paste was shown to heal or
greatly improve ulcers in up to 99 percent of horses treated for
a 28-day period, and no side effects were seen. The product has
been proven to prevent the recurrence of ulcers at half the dose
used for healing and, unlike any other product, is effective even
in horses that remain in training. Prior to approval, GASTROGARD
was tested at more than 15 sites involving more than 300 horses
of nine different breeds.
The
Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, founded
in 1970, serves as the liaison between racetracks and thoroughbred
owners and trainers. Charged with representing the interests of
its members by negotiating contracts with each South Florida racetrack,
the Florida HBPA is funded by voluntary contributions of owner
members.
Merial
is the world's leading animal-healthcare company dedicated to
the research, development, manufacture and delivery of innovative
pharmaceuticals and vaccines for use by veterinarians, food-animal
producers and pet owners to improve the health, well-being and
performance of all animal species. The company is also market
leader in the development and production of poultry breeding stock.
With its worldwide headquarters in London, Merial employs around
6,500 people and operates in more than 150 countries. Total 1999
sales exceeded US$1.68 billion.
Merial
is jointly owned by Merck and Co. Inc. and Aventis S.A. Merial
also markets EQVALAN (ivermectin) and a range of equine vaccines.
For more information on GASTROGARD and Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome,
please visit the web sites http://www/gastrogard.com and http://www.egus.org,
or call toll free (877) GASTROGARD.
#
# #
¨
GASTROGARD is a registered trademark of the AstraZeneca Group
of Companies. ¨EQVALAN is a registered trademark of Merial Limited.
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