EPA's plan doesn't go far enough, CAPC says

Bel Air, Md.

-- The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) wants the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take more steps in identifying reasons for an increase in adverse events associated with spot-on flea-and-tick control products.

CAPC released a position statement today saying that EPA's plan falls short of its intended goals by not:

> Assessing and classifying the severity of the reported adverse event;

> Evaluating the percentage of adverse incidents based on the total number of applied doses of a product;

> Including information on if the products were purchased and applied under the direction of a veterinarian.

In mid March, EPA unveiled a plan to boost consumer education, evaluate and update labels of existing spot-on flea-and-tick control products and enhance its monitoring efforts."Many of the topical flea-and-tick control products in question are intended for use under the guidance of a licensed veterinarian and, yet, many similar or even identical products are available in retail outlets and on the Internet where they can be purchased with no professional guidance," explains CAPC Executive Director Mike Paul, DVM. "Unfortunately, the EPA has failed to estimate the percentage of adverse events associated with products purchased from veterinarians versus retail outlets," Paul says. "Without veterinary guidance, there can be no certainty that the products were purchased and applied under the direction of a veterinarian.

"We do not want unsafe products on the market, and we advocate for appropriate precautions to reduce adverse events," Dr. Paul adds. "However, it is vital that products be evaluated fairly and individually with regard to the nature and severity of adverse events."The government agency should also take into account the risks associated with diseases these products were created to prevent, Paul says.

EPA's plan was released in mid March, as reported by DVM Newsmagazine.