| Contact: |
Jon Sendach
The Rowland Co.
(212) 527-8831 |
Janice
Keene
Merial
(732) 729-5000 |
GASTROGARD®
(omeprazole) Enters the Arena at Westchester Fairfield Festival
of Dressage
North
Salem, NY, May 1, 2000 -- The Westchester Fairfield Festival
of Dressage was one of the most recent venues for Merial's national
equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) screening program, which
was launched a year ago in Kentucky. Merial, the world's leading
animal healthcare company and maker of GASTROGARD (omeprazole)
Paste, welcomed competitors to the event by hosting an educational
forum and dinner, and by providing free endoscopic gastric ulcer
screening to all eligible horses.
As
part of Merial's program on-site, a nationally recognized veterinarian,
James Orsini, DVM, associate professor of surgery, New Bolton
Center, University of Pennsylvania, led an informative discussion
that was attended by more than 150 competitors on Friday evening,
April 28th. Dr. Orsini also performed free endoscopic screening
on eligible horses on-site throughout the weekend to aid diagnosis
of equine gastric ulcer syndrome. "Endoscopes approximately 9
feet long allow direct examination of the stomach lining," explained
Dr. Orsini. "However, with only about 40 of these long endoscopes
available nationwide, many are unable to take advantage of this
important diagnostic tool. It's rewarding to participate in bringing
this technology and clinical information directly to those who
can benefit."
The
first and only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
for treatment of gastric ulcers in horses, GASTROGARD is designed
for convenient administration to horses. The oral paste is contained
in pre-filled single-dose applicators for once-a-day dosing. Importantly,
the product has been proven to heal and prevent the recurrence
of ulcers with no side effects and can be administered while the
horse is still in training. GASTROGARD is for use by or on the
order of a licensed veterinarian.
"This
was truly a first-of-its-kind event for the Westchester Fairfield
Festival of Dressage, " said Judith Noone, competition manager,
Westchester Fairfield Dressage Association (WFDA). "The WFDA was
pleased to have this program on-site to educate owners and trainers
about EGUS and document the prevalence of ulcers in performance
horses. As horse lovers, horse health is a top priority in the
performance horse community."
Merial's
presence at the Festival of Dressage, which is designated a CDI***
competition and featured United States Equestrian Team selection
trials for the 2000 Olympic Games, bolstered its already strong
commitment to animal health nationwide. "Performance horsemen
and horsewomen know when their horses are not performing up to
par," explained Frank Pipers, DVM, manager, Technical Services,
Merial, while conducting discussions with owners, riders, and
trainers. "After having their horses scoped, however, many saw
first-hand the damage to the stomach caused by ulcers, and are
now more aware of this condition and treatment options" he said.
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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