Non USDA Approved Vaccine Information FROMM-D/GALAXY-D FROMM-D, a live-virus monovalent distemper vaccine manufactured by Solvay (Mendota Heights, MN), is no longer being sold in the United States. FROMM-D, which had been licensed for use only in dogs, was based on a chick embryo substrate and had a long history of safe use in ferrets prior to the licensing of a vaccine by U.S.D.A. Recently, however, the vaccine was reformulated using a mammalian (simian) cell substrate. FROMM-D is no longer available, and the new product is currently being marketed as "GALAXY- D." At this time the product FERVAC-D (United Vaccines, Inc., Madison, WI) is the only U.S.D.A. approved distemper vaccine product labeled for use in ferrets. FERVAC-D, which is a modified-live vaccine, has been tested in ferrets and has been shown to be both safe and effective in preventing distemper virus infection in ferrets. At this time, the new Solvay vaccine product has not demonstrated either safety or efficacy in preventing distemper in ferrets. RECOMMENDATION: GALAXY-D (Solvay) should not be used to immunize ferrets against distemper virus. Until such time that the manufacturer conducts appropriate studies of safety and efficacy of this vaccine in ferrets, only the currently marketed vaccine, FERVAC- D labeled for use in ferrets should be used. Randy [Posted in FML issue 3458]