FDA CVM Drug Promotion

Guess who’s promoting a drug in social media and on their website? FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) sent out this tweet on July 1, 2020:

When you click on the FDA link (go.usa.gov/xwuvm) provided in the Tweet, you are taken to this page:

This entire FDA CVM post is about one single drug. Actually, the entire FDA CVM post is promoting one single drug.

“Does your dog become a quivering ball of fur hiding under your bed at the sound of fireworks? Do you dread Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve because your dog will try to chew and claw his way through the wall to escape? You’re not alone.

Many dogs have what’s called noise aversion, a sensitivity to loud noises that results in signs of anxiety and fear. One FDA-approved drug, Sileo (dexmedetomidine oromucosal gel), is currently marketed to treat noise aversion in dogs. Sileo is available only with a veterinarian’s prescription.”

Throughout this entire FDA post, only one drug is mentioned to treat dogs with noise aversion issues – Sileo.

We sent the FDA (drug promotion) post to Dr. Laurie Coger to get a veterinarian’s perspective on the FDA information. Here is her feedback:

“There are multiple options and approaches to manage noise aversion in dogs. Why is the FDA recommending a specific prescription drug for this problem directly to dog owners? This article reads more like a paid promotional announcement than information from a government agency.”

As comparison, on June 12, 2020 FDA CVM sent out this tweet regarding flea and tick products:

The FDA CVM tweet provided a link that takes readers to completely different information than the previous (drug promotion) tweet. This FDA webpage informs pet owners about regulation of flea and tick products, safety of these products, and so on. BUT…the big difference is that in this FDA CVM post there is no mention (or promotion) of any particular brand. The flea and tick prevention tweet and webpage was handled as a government agency should behave – they did not endorse any product.

Why would FDA CVM promote/endorse a drug? As Dr. Coger points out, there are many options for pet owners with dogs suffering from noise aversion. Why did FDA pick out just one of those options to tell pet owners about ignoring all others? Is FDA CVM secretly working for Sileo’s manufacturer Zoetis?

Pet owners deserve answers to these questions.

We encourage all pet owners to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General regarding FDA CVM’s drug promotion activities. An example complaint is below:

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On July 1, 2020 the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) published information for pet owners regarding treatment for dogs fearful of loud noises. See: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/your-dog-afraid-loud-noises-theres-fda-approved-drug-help. As you will notice in this FDA CVM post, there is ONLY mention of one drug. FDA CVM provided pet owners with no other options for treatment of these dog issues when actually there are many different options that veterinarians can offer pet owners (please – ask any practicing veterinarian what options they would offer a client in this instance). In other words, this FDA CVM post promotes/endorses this drug as the only treatment option for noise aversion in dogs.

To the contrary, on June 12, 2020 the FDA CVM published information about flea and tick products for pets. See: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/safe-use-flea-and-tick-products-pets. As you will notice in this FDA CVM post, the Agency fairly describes regulation of these products and safety issues without mention or endorsement of any particular product.

It is more than concerning that FDA CVM is allowed to promote a drug on a government website. I am asking you to fully investigate FDA CVM to conflict of interest issues with drug manufacturer Zoetis. Further, I am asking you to require FDA CVM remove the drug promotional post from the FDA website and require the Agency to issue a public statement offering pet owners with similar noise aversion information as the flea and tick products post (in other words non-promotional).

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Information to file a complaint can be found here: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/index.asp

Update 7/2/20, 4:22 PM:
FDA has removed the drug promotional post from their website (evidencing the agency knew it was promotional and they shouldn’t have published it). The FDA post remains on a search page on the FDA website: https://search.usa.gov/search?query=Your+dog+afraid+of+loud+noises&affiliate=fda1
The associated tweet has not been deleted.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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