A bitter pill to swallow

A bitter pill to swallow


Every day, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves certain drugs based on their safety and effectiveness. If the drug you use to treat yourself or your animal companion is not FDA-approved, you could be taking a huge risk.

In May 2014, a compounding pharmacy in Kentucky used two medications to create a drug for treating a disease in horses known as equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, or EPM. After 10 horses were treated, four died and six survived, only after prolonged intensive care.

An FDA investigation found that one of the medications was not approved at all in horses. The other, though FDA-approved for treatment of EPM, had been overdosed by the pharmacy, thus producing the tragic results.

Keep in mind that custom-formulated combination drugs are not evaluated by the FDA. Don’t take chances on shortcuts that could rapidly create short circuits.

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