Chris,
 
Dave Cahill, Small Animal Vaccine Manager at Norden Labs, today told
me that Norden will begin "challenge testing" their ferret rabies vaccine.
in July. After the animals are given live rabies virus, a 90 day observation
period will follow. USDA (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture) sets the rules
for how these tests are run and gives final approval for vaccines used
in domestic animals.
 
Mr. Cahill believes that, if field testing is waived, final approval
will be received before the end of the year, with release of the vaccine
in early 1990. Field testing could consist of further exposures of animals
to live virus. Mr. Cahill thinks the number of test animals used in
the challenges will allow field testing to be bypassed.
 
Marshall Farms of New York has been providing ferrets for the researc
and is the second largest source of ferrets (I believe Path Valley Farms
is the largest).
 
Those of us who have been following the efforts to get a rabies vaccine
approved for use in domestic pet ferrets find this extremely exciting
news, Chris. Untold thousands of ferrets are killed each year, due to
the lack of an "approved" vaccine. Sadly, current killed virus vaccines
used (unofficially) do offer protection, but are not sanctioned for
use in pet ferrets and as such offer no "legal" protection. Thought
the mailing list would be interested. More info will follow in the FERRET
TIMES newsletter (FERRET TIMES, #5 Honey Brook Circle, Gaithersburg,
MD 20878. (301) 330-5492).
 
CHIP GALLO
 
[Chip - have you been getting issues so far?  Do you want back issues?]
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0069]