Information on mink vaccines so crucial to the survival of the US mink industry keep coming in…
Not too long ago, Sandy Parker Reports mentioned a vaccine shortage was impacting US mink farmers (whose primary fear is a disease outbreak that can wipe out whole farms in a matter of weeks). Coalition Against Fur Farms is piecing together the vaccine puzzle, narrowing in on the two sole providers of mink vaccines and where their research is done.
First, read this comment from the Fur Commission USA’s president Michael Whelan in the Winter 2011 issue of Fur Farm Letter:
“In January I hope to join John Easley in Elkhorn NE to meet with the ASL vaccine producers…”
ASL is believed to stand for American Scientific Laboratories, a company that was acquired by Schering-Plough Animal Health. Schering-Plough later merged with Merck.
In August 2011 (www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/news/2011-08-26.aspx), Merck announced, “an expansion of a vaccine manufacturing unit at its Elkhorn Biotechnology Excellence Center.”