Is Premarin from horse urine?

What is Premarin made of?

Premarin and Premarin-containing products contain a mixture of mare’s urine and delta 8,9-dehydroestrone, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals/Pfizer holds the patent for this combination, increasing health care costs and maintaining a monopoly on the drug.

Is Premarin bad for horses?

Premarin: A Prescription for Cruelty. Both drugs contain horse urine, specifically pregnant mare’s urine (PMU). Not only has this form of HRT proved to be dangerous to humans, horses raised for their urine are also kept confined and pregnant, and their foals often end up in the slaughterhouse.

Is Premarin made from animal waste?

Premarin: A Prescription for Cruelty. One of the HRT drugs that has historically been among the most widely prescribed is made from animal waste. The drug is Premarin, an estrogen-therapy drug currently manufactured by Pfizer (formerly Wyeth Pharmaceuticals), which also produces Prempro, an estrogen/progestin combination.

Is Premarin 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.

What is the Premarin issue?

“That’s where I learned about the Premarin issue,” says Karen. Premarin (PMU), an estrogen-based hormone replacement therapy developed in the 1940s, is made from pregnant mare’s urine.

Is Premarin Cruelty to mares?

Animal cruelty laws and government regulations do not apply to the treatment of mares on Premarin farms. Instead, the standard of care is dictated only by an inadequate “code” which is poorly enforced. Thus the horses receive virtually no legal protection.

What are the dangers of Premarin?

But the cruelty involved in Premarin production is not the only tragedy—the dangers of long-term HRT have been hidden, because researchers have relied on misleading animal tests. As a result, millions of women have been put at risk of contracting breast cancer and of having a heart attack or stroke.

Is there an alternative to Premarin for horses?

There are numerous plant-based and synthetic alternatives to Premarin that work equally as effectively, are far safer, and don’t cause pain, suffering and death to horses and their newborns (See our list below).

What is the Premarin family of drugs?

The Premarin family of drugs contains estrogenic compounds that are made from the urine of pregnant mares. That’s where the name is derived from: PRE gnant MA res’ ur IN e = Premarin.

What is Premarin made from?

Premarin (PMU), an estrogen-based hormone replacement therapy developed in the 1940s, is made from pregnant mare’s urine. Most women don’t know about the controversial operation behind the manufacturing of the product or the health problems, including breast cancer, that studies have associated with the drug.

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 and why is it 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.

What is Premarin used for in horses?

Hormone Replacement Therapy: The Tragedy of Premarin Each year, thousands of horses are impregnated and then confined to cramped stalls so that their estrogen-rich urine can be collected and used by pharmaceutical companies to make the drug Premarin for hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Why are there so many Premarin babies each year?

Because the Premarin-production industry keeps mares constantly impregnated in order to maintain high estrogen levels in their urine, thousands of foals are born each year—animals the industry considers to be mere byproducts.

Is there a generic version of Premarin?

Now Premarin which first became available in 1942 has been off patent for years, so it is legally permissible for a drug company to make generic Premarin if they can show it to be identical to Premarin. And, that’s where the problem is.

What is Premarin and how does it work?

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.

Is horse urine safe to use?

Both drugs contain horse urine, specifically pregnant mare’s urine (PMU). Not only has this form of HRT proved to be dangerous to humans, horses raised for their urine are also kept confined and pregnant, and their foals often end up in the slaughterhouse.

Why are Premarin mares so dangerous?

Premarin mares are bred so often during their short lives, that their reproductive organs often rupture or fall out with gravity – their bodies are so overused and abused and as they are never permitted to lie down – gravity from standing 24/7 takes a toll; their bodies cannot hold the organs in any longer.

Is Premarin safe for Women’s Health?

The Women’s Health Initiative has done numerous studies on the health impacts of Premarin products. These studies have revealed the negative health risks associated with these drugs and the danger they pose to women’s health. View the Women’s Health Initiative studies.

What happens to Premarin mares after they give birth?

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.

How often do Premarin mares give birth?

Most mares are never removed from the stall and allowed to graze. Deprived of exercise, they cannot utilize their natural athleticism and sociability, kick up their heels, stretch their muscles, or flex their joints. The vast majority of Premarin mares give birth to a foal every year. Afterward, they are almost immediately impregnated again.

Where does Premarin urine come from?

Where Premarin Comes From According to an industry report, 19 ranches in remote areas of Canada house approximately 1,300 pregnant mares who produce urine for Premarin and Prempro. 1,2 For most of their 11-month pregnancies, these horses are confined to stalls so small that they cannot turn around or take more than a single step in any direction.

What happens to Premarin when it goes off patent?

Once a drug goes off patent pharmaceutical companies can make generic versions of the patented name brand drug, but they have to show that their generic version is exactly identical to the brand name, in this case, Premarin.

Is Premarin safe to take if I don’t eat animal products?

Premarin (conjugated estrogens) is made from the hormones found in the urine of pregnant horses. So, if you don’t use or eat animal products, this may not be the right option for you. Talk to your provider about plant-based estrogen medications.

Which drug is made from a horse’s urine?

Although there are now a number of synthetic options available on the market, Pfizer (a giant in the drug industry) still produces the original version as well as a combination drug known as DUAVEE – both using the urine from pregnant mares.

Why is my mare so cranky all the time?

“Discomfort can make her cranky,” says Sheerin. “If a mare is in pain, she will show that behavior frequently or whenever she has to work, versus the cyclical pattern of her estrous cycle.” Some mares show colic symptoms because of painful ovulation. “They may do it repeatedly, or just now and then,” Sheerin continues.

Are progesterone injections bad for horses?

The downside, as with any injection you have to give repeatedly, is the risk that some mares could develop soreness at the injection sites. This could inhibit performance or the ability to train.” Another synthetic progestin is Depo-Provera.