vetsulin critical needs program

[eliseandpony]

has anyone gone through the process of applying for the vetsulin critical needs program? has anyone been accepted? denied? i am considering having my vet attempt to enroll me in this program. yes, i am aware of the risks. i have scheduled the blood draw for my acro and insulin resistance tests at Michigan State, and i do have 2 bottles of vetsulin currently. pony is a high doser and we attempted lantus when she was first diagnosed a few years ago without success. i have for the last few weeks been attempting to regulate on humulin n with no success (see my ss). vetsulin works for her and now that i am home testing i think i will be able to make it even more effective for her. (unless, of course she falls victim to the vetsulin inconsistency issue) i am really curious about how hard it will be to get on the critical needs program. the info on the vetsulin website says the vet needs to show that the pet can not be managed on any other insulin. are they going to force me to try levemir and prozinc before they accept us? or do you think they are just more concerned that legal waivers be signed?

 

[kate and lucky]

Sorry can't help you.

Are you sure this would still be running with the current FDA warning?

Really wish you'd consider another insulin.You could look in supply closet and see if someone is willing to sell a single vial for you to try. Most of the longer lasting insulins will last a good 8 weeks-that would give you plenty of time to see if it worked well in your kitty.

Good luck

 

[Sweetgrass & the Furries]

Hi.
Honestly, with the huge inconsistencies that are showing themselves here with users who have tried to work vetsulin these days, I would really look at a long term alternative.

I would think that if the intermdiate acting insulin like Vetsulin is working, prozinc may be a good next try.
I understand about the challenges of higher doses and the need to be able to shoot flexibly.
From the users I have been watching here who are using prozinc, it seems to act more like vetsulin than pzi ,albeit a little slower at onset.

I would hate to see you chasing some sort of regulation with vetsulin at this time and end up with DKA or glucose resistance or worse.

I know it is a pain to switch things up, but please consider.
The FDA warning is serious.

Wishing you guys well, please keep us posted.

 

[Caryl & Sebastian & Alex (GA)]

They want the waiver and after they get it the patient must deal directly with the manufacturer. The veterinarian is no longer an intermediary between drug company and patient and they can charge whatever they choose.

I am late on this thread but we were just discussing this today. It has nothing to do with wanting people to try another insulin. There just isn't that much Vetsulin around...and, well. It's 'iffy'. :-|

 

[Robert and Echo]

Re: vetsulin critical needs program/how to apply

Vetsulin Now Available for Qualified Patients

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health was expected to begin offering a limited supply of Vetsulin (porcine insulin zinc suspension) on May 24 through its Vetsulin Critical-Need Program.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the program after veterinarians continued asking for the product.

In November, the FDA questioned the stability of Vetsulin and recommended that diabetic dogs and cats receiving Vetsulin be switched to other insulin products.

“In response to the Vetsulin product alert ... Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has been working with the FDA to address an issue identified with our Vetsulin product,” Christopher Pappas Jr., DVM, the company’s director of technical services, wrote in a letter to veterinarians. “Since that time, we have recommended that pets be transitioned to other insulin products as we anticipated a limitation on supply and eventual supply depletion. During the process of transitioning pets to other insulin products, we heard from a number of veterinarians and pet owners who expressed significant concerns that specific dogs and cats cannot be effectively managed on an insulin product other than Vetsulin.

“After working with the FDA on this situation, Intervet can now offer a limited supply of Vetsulin to specific, critical-need pets, when in the veterinarian’s medical judgment these pets cannot be effectively managed on another insulin product. The availability of this supply will mean that truly critical-need patients can be maintained on Vetsulin.”

The FDA says veterinarians with qualified patients should contact the company’s technical services department at 800-224-5318. To enroll a patient, veterinarians must provide the rationale for why the patient cannot be effectively controlled using another insulin product. Click here for details about the program.

The FDA noted that because Vetsulin may have varying amounts of crystalline zinc insulin in the formulation, a delay in insulin action and an overall longer duration of insulin activity could occur.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is working with the FDA to address the concerns.