Kate’s blog from yesterday got to me thinking about the drug Premarin, which is an estrogen-therapy drug manufactured by Wyeth. I’m sure many of you are aware that this drug comes from the urine of pregnant mares. Being a horse lover, I’ve heard a lot about the controversy of how this drug is made, and have done some of my own research. It’s not uplifting but it is important. Not only is this drug dangerous for humans, but the way these horses used to make this drug are treated is very disturbing and sad.

The ingredient (HRT) that this drug is made from comes from more than 400 ranches in remote areas of North Dakota and Canada that house thousands of pregnant mares who produce urine for Premarin and other similar HRT drugs. For six months of their pregnancies, these horses are confined to PMU stalls so small that the mares cannot turn around or take more than one step in any direction. The animals must wear rubber urine-collection bags at all times, which cause chafing and lesions, and their drinking water is limited so that their urine will yield more concentrated estrogen.

PMU ranchers are only expected to follow the “Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Horses in PMU Operations,” a document produced by a “study committee” that included a Wyeth representative, on a voluntary basis. The document states that horses may be allowed only “as much exercise as is necessary for their welfare,” leaving the exact amount open to interpretation. One PMU farmer in Alberta claims that horses can “exercise in the stall … they can lay down, move ahead, back up, [and] go sideways.” Some farmers admit to exercising their horses as little as once every three or four weeks. When questioned about horses’ need for exercise, a Wyeth-Ayerst spokesperson flippantly replied, “Some horses are active, some are couch potatoes.” Horses need exercise! They love to get out and run and stretch. It’s vital for them. Horses are not couch potatoes. Not ever. Even the older and sickly ones like to be taken out of their stalls or corrals and walked or turned out. Couch potato! I’d like to lock that guy up in a room where he can only stand, sit and roll over.

And, what happens to the foals of these mares? Most of them are sold for slaughter, and once a PMU mare is basically done doing her job for Wyeth, then she is also sent to slaughter. Can you imagine sending a baby horse to slaughter for consumption in other countries or for dog food? And, how about an animal who has been treated this way all her life, only to be handed over to killers?

The irony to all of this is that this drug has been found harmful to women. In 2002 a study was done with 16,000 women by the Women’s Health Initiative using Prempro and it concluded that usage of this drug raised a risk of stroke by 41% and heart attack by 29%. The only symptom it did help relieve (temporarily) was hot flashes, which many doctors are now saying can be relieved through a low fat diet and regular exercise.

I haven’t experienced hot flashes yet, but know they aren’t comfortable after seeing my mom go through it (who refused to take Prempro or Premarin) but for me I’d rather make some lifestyle changes and take plant derived estrogens than know I am contributing to the inhumane treatment of horses, not to mention raising the risk of stroke or heart attack. Wyeth should be ashamed of their tactics–but it’s all in the name of big business, big money and not to get political (yeah, right. Looks like I already have) it goes all the way to Washington D.C.

If you want to learn more about your options involving estrogen drug therapy, you can call 1-800-KNOW-PMU.

Hug your dog, your cat, your horse, any animal you have or know today, and say a little prayer for these mares, even if you’re not a horse lover, they deserve a better life.

Michele