Are Premarin drugs bad for horses?
Premarin horses suffer immeasurably for the production of this drug, plus there are serious and potentially fatal health risks and dangers associated with taking the Premarin family of drugs for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as health and medical research studies have proven.
What is Premarin (pregnant mare urine)?
These drugs use the estrogen from pregnant mare’s urine as the hormone component. Premarin stands for Pregnant Mare’s Urine (PMU) and it is prescribed to women to reduce the symptoms of menopause in menopausal and post-menopausal women. The drug is available in several forms including pills, creams, injections, and patches.
What is Premarin made from?
Premarin, a complex of conjugated equine estrogens manufactured by Wyeth for use as hormone replacement therapy in women, was originally developed by the Canadian pharmaceutical firm Ayerst, McKenna and Harrison. The name Premarin was coined from pregnant mare urine, from which the estrogen complex …
Is there a generic version of Premarin?
The development of generic alternatives (such as Estrace, Estraderm, Ogen, OrthoEst, Estratab, Menest, Estinyl, Estrovirus, and OrthoDienestrol) and synthetic estrogens (such as Cenestin) has been cited as an advancement that eliminates the need for animal-derived estrogens such as Premarin for most women.
Does Premarin come from horses?
2.7. Premarin is a highly prescribed orally administered estrogen. It is also available as a topical cream. This estrogenic product is isolated from the urine of pregnant horses (PREgnant MARes' urINe). It has been used for hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women in the USA since 1942.
Are horses slaughtered for Premarin?
The vast majority of Premarin mares give birth to a foal every year. Afterward, they are almost immediately impregnated again. If they fail to become pregnant, they are sent to slaughter. If they do become pregnant again, their foals are taken from them at the premature age of just three to four months.
Why was Premarin taken off the market?
A government study of Wyeth's hormone replacement drugs, Prempro and Premarin, was discontinued in 2002 when it became apparent that taking Prempro heightened the risk of breast cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, and pulmonary embolism, and that Premarin increased risk of stroke.
What happens to the foals of Premarin mares?
Some of the thousands of foals born on PMU farms each year are used to replace their exhausted mothers. Some are offered for adoption, but the remaining foals—along with worn-out mares—are sold at auction, where most are purchased by buyers for slaughterhouses.
Is Premarin cruel to horses?
Premarin mares are forcibly impregnated over and over again to continually produce high levels of estrogen for Premarin products; their pregnancies last for 11 months, then they are impregnated again after giving birth – a cruel, physically exhausting, non-stop cycle for mares.
Are there still PMU farms?
There are no PMU farms operating any longer in the United States. As of this writing, all that are left are a reported 1,300 mares on PMU farms in Canada, according to The North American Equine Ranching Information Council, or NAERIC.
What is a good substitute for Premarin?
What is the best alternative to Premarin? Estrace is a similar alternative to Premarin. Other medications containing estrogen include the Vivelle Dot Patch, Climara Patch, or vaginal estrogen in the form of Vagifem vaginal tablets (vaginal tablets applied with a vaginal applicator) or Estring Vaginal Ring.
What is a natural alternative to Premarin?
The most widely cited natural remedy is soy, which is very high in phytoestrogens, or plant estrogens. Other sources are red clover and flaxseed, both of which are available as supplements.
What Premarin is made from?
horse urineThe estrogen-replacement drug Premarin, prescribed to menopausal women, is made from horse urine; in fact, the drug's name is short for PREgnant MARes' urINe. About 750,000 mares are impregnated each year for the sole purpose of collecting their estrogen-rich urine.
How is Premarin made 2021?
This name tells you that premarin is made from horse urine, specifically pregnant mares. Although the number of PMU ranches in the U.S. and Canada have decreased in recent years, Pfizer is still producing hormone replacement therapy drugs.
Is vagifem made from horse urine?
Premarin and Vagifem are examples of vaginal E2 regimens. Premarin or conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) is a naturally occurring E2 derived from urine of mares.
Why is Premarin cream unavailable?
Pfizer had Premarin vaginal cream on shortage due to manufacturing delays.
What is the name of the drug that is made from horse urine?
The estrogen-replacement drug Premarin, prescribed to menopausal women, is made from horse urine; in fact, the drug’s name is short for PREgnant MARes’ urINe. About 750,000 mares are impregnated each year for the sole purpose of collecting their estrogen-rich urine.
Why are horses thirsty?
In order to make the urine more concentrated, their water intake is restricted, so the horses are constantly thirsty. The foals are considered “byproducts,” and most are fattened up, slaughtered, and sold for horsemeat or turned into dog food. Fortunately, humane alternatives to Premarin are available.
Where does cenestin come from?
But unlike Premarin, Cenestin is derived from plant sources —soybeans and yams—not horse urine. Recent studies linking Premarin to an increased risk of breast cancer serve as an additional reason to consider the switch.
How long do premarin mares last?
Premarin mares are forcibly impregnated over and over again to continually produce high levels of estrogen for Premarin products; their pregnancies last for 11 months, then they are impregnated again after giving birth – a cruel, physically exhausting, non-stop cycle for mares.
Why are Premarin mares immobilized?
As a result of these restrictive devices, the mares are immobilized. Premarin mares are intentionally dehydrated, deprived of fresh water, in order to concentrate their urine, making it more profitable for the company, but very unhealthy for the horses.
What is PMU in horses?
Pregnant Mare’s Urine (P MU) is used to produce the horse estrogen-based Premarin family of drugs. Premarin horses suffer immeasurably for the production of this drug, plus there are serious and potentially fatal health risks and dangers associated with taking the Premarin family of drugs for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), ...
Why do mares stand on concrete floors?
To save money and reduce cleaning, the mares often stand on hard, cold concrete floors, without proper, soft and standard straw bedding that is usual – causing leg and hoof injury, pain and arthritis.
What are the risks of Premarin?
Health studies have proven the Premarin family of drugs causes serious health risks in women including: Increased risk of stroke. Increased risk of breast cancer. Increased risk of reproductive cancers. Increased risk of heart attacks and coronary heart disease. Increased risk of blood clots.
What to do if pregnant Mare's urine is animal cruelty?
Ask your gynecologist to learn about the animal cruelty of Pregnant Mare’s Urine by sharing this letter, then ask her to prescribe a synthetic, plant-based alternative that is safer and does not involve animal cruelty. Here is the letter you can give her or him.
Can Premarin mares walk?
Premarin mares are not allowed to move, walk or run, which is natural for them – or graze on grass and frolic in a pasture which is normal behavior for horses, because the urine collection device is attached to them 24/7. Filthy, bulky tubing connected to straps is attached to their bodies 24/7 to collect the urine, ...
Where does Premarin come from?
Claim: The drug Premarin is produced from the urine of pregnant horses. Status: True. Origins: One of the inevitable aspects of the aging process in women is the decreased production of the hormones estrogen and progestin. A 40% to 60% drop-off in estrogen production generally occurs with the onset of menopause ...
What is Premarin used for?
Premarin (and Premarin-containing products such as Prempro, Premphase, and Prempac) is a drug used in hormone replace therapy HRT regimens prescribed for women to help lessen the symptoms of menopause and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis.
Why is Premarin controversial?
The continued use of Premarin has generated controversy because of issues associated with the industrial use of animals required to produce a supply of the drug; information regarding concerns over the “pee line” collection of urine from mares to produce Premarin is available on a number equine advocacy web sites.
Is Premarin a pill?
Premarin is available in several forms (pills, creams, injections, patches ) and, as the name (a shortening of the phrase “pregnant mares’ urine”) suggests, contains conjugated estrogens obtained from the urine of pregnant mares.
Is Premarin a hormone replacement?
are accompanied by uncomfortable symptoms (such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness), and. estrogen loss is also linked to a significant increase in the incidence of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. Premarin (and Premarin-containing products such as Prempro, Premphase, and Prempac) is a drug used in hormone replace therapy HRT ...
Is Premarin an animal drug?
Premarin is not unique as an animal-derived drug, of course, as generations of diabetics have been kept alive through injections of purified insulin obtained from the pancreases of cattle and pigs.
Where did the name Premarin come from?
The name Premarin was coined from pregnant mare urine, from which the estrogen complex …. Premarin, a complex of conjugated equine estrogens manufactured by Wyeth for use as hormone replacement therapy in women, was originally developed by the Canadian pharmaceutical firm Ayerst, McKenna and Harrison. The name Premarin was coined ...
What is premarin used for?
Premarin, a complex of conjugated equine estrogens manufactured by Wyeth for use as hormone replacement therapy in women, was originally developed by the Canadian pharmaceutical firm Ayerst, McKenna and Harrison. The name Premarin was coined from pregnant mare urine, from which the estrogen complex was isolated. Although the complete composition of Premarin and its active components remains undisclosed or unknown, Wyeth reports that it contains a mixture of 10 estrogens. The history of Premarin is entangled in a fascinating story of human intrigue involving ingenuity, influence, controversy, animal rights, competition, money, protection of stockholders, government regulatory power, patient rights, emotions, greed, power, personal and professional freedom, state rights, and perhaps even, ultimately, constitutional issues. As the saga of Premarin evolves, it no doubt will continue to be one of the more interesting and compelling stories of the practice of pharmacy.
How many estrogens are in premarin?
Although the complete composition of Premarin and its active components remains undisclosed or unknown, Wyeth reports that it contains a mixture of 10 estrogens.
How is Premarin created?
Also Know, how is horse urine collected for Premarin? Premarin is created by collecting the urine of pregnant mares. The mares are kept in small standing stalls in order to limit their movement, so not to displace the urinary bladder bags used to collect every drop of urine. Once the mares are full term and ready to deliver, they are turned out to have their foals.
What is the name of the drug that is made from equine urine?
The most commonly known drug produced with equine urine is Premarin® , now manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer (Pfizer purchased Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the original manufacturer of the drug, in 2009).
What is the difference between Premarin and Vagifem?
Premarin is also the third most common drug used in the U.S. (26). Vagifem is a vaginally delivered Ethinyl Estradiol tablet. Estradiols are the most commonly used synthetic estrogens (25).
What did they discover about estrogen in pregnant mares?
In the 1940s, researchers at one drug firm discovered that estrogen taken from the urine of pregnant mares helped to relieve some of the effects of menopause in women. Overnight, an industry sprang up in the northern United States and Canada as hundreds of farms were placed under contract to deliver this urine.
Why are mares deprived of water?
Fitted with collection bags, the mares are regularly deprived of water in order to concentrate their urine. Or so it is believed, in any event; there is no way of telling whether the 1940s-era practice continues, since the industry stonewalls such inquiries. The Humane Society of the United States reported in 2007, “The pharmaceutical company now claims that the water restriction policy has been modified; however, they remain unwilling to allow humane organizations access to the farms to verify such changes.”
What happens to mares after they give birth?
After giving birth to their foals, the mares are impregnated again and returned to the stalls, while most of the foals are slaughtered for meat. So, too, are the mares once their bearing years have passed.
How wide is a horse stall?
As if on an assembly line, mares are impregnated and placed in narrow stalls; the industry-mandated stall width is 3.5 feet (about 1.1 meters) for horses weighing less than 900 pounds (410 kg) and 5 feet (1.5 meters) for those exceeding 1,700 pounds (770 kg), whereas the usual dimension of a stall at a regular stable is at least twice that size.
Why were horses abandoned?
In generations past, horses were abandoned or shipped off to slaughter once it was decided that they had worn out their usefulness in pulling wagons or plows and in carrying loads or people: think of poor Boxer, carried away by a van marked “Alfred Simmonds, Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler” toward the end of George Orwell’s Animal Farm.
Is Premarin still made?
Yet the drug is still made and sold; indeed, the FDA recently gave the manufacturer permission to market a new Premarin-based drug meant to treat osteoporosis as well as menopause. Says the Pharmaceutical Business Review, “This would open up bazedoxofine/Premarin therapy to the whole postmenopausal market while providing a continuum of care throughout the menopausal period.” Even with the health scare, the market for Premarin and allied PMU-based drugs is estimated to exceed $1.2 billion; the market for the new combined product, the article continues, is expected to exceed $550 million by 2010.
Is Premarin safe for horses?
In most particulars, in other words, and in more than half a century since its inception, little has changed in the Premarin industry – for the horses, that is. In 2002 a study by the Women’s Health Initiative, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), linked the long-term use of Premarin to an increased risk of stroke and blood clots, and the use of the related drug Prempro to elevated rates of heart disease and breast cancer. The NIH advised physicians to cease prescribing the drugs;sales fell, and some 350 PMU (pregnant mares’ urine) farms lost their contracts over the next two years, while thousands of lawsuits were filed against the manufacturer.
