 THE INSTITUTE is committed to providing the same level of effective treatment to animals as it is to humans. Indeed, Dr. McMichael has a rich history of veterinary research. He received his Ph.D. in immunology and virology for producing the world’s first live-virus fish vaccines and, working with veterinarians and scientists, has produced a variety of therapeutic agents which have proved effective in treating small animals, livestock, and horses.
Examples of the Institute’s veterinary research include a medicine for cancer in dogs for which a USDA-authorized trial has recently been completed; two universities investigating a DNA-based medicine which has shown efficacy in treating respiratory distress in horses; and collaboration with Eudaemonic Corporation which is currently marketing a product (RVI) Dr. McMichael developed for chronic pain in athletic animals.
Capitalizing on the novel characteristics of its medicines, the Institute brings to bear time- and money-saving conditions for product development. Typically, medicines are first evaluated in animal studies for toxicity and efficacy before they are administered to humans. Since the FDA has already determined many of these agents to be non-toxic in the dose-ranges used by the Institute, in specific instances physicians have been able to prescribe them on a compassionate basis. Doing so has provided initial--and critical--anecdotal evidence of efficacy. Using the same concentrations and dose ranges for humans and animals alike, positive results have been found in treating the same diseases in different species.
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