29 Apr 2022
Novel treatments GS-441524 and remdesivir are legally available to vets in the UK and Australia to use for the disease, and a study wants to find out how cats have responded.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Specialist feline vets are seeking help for a study into how cats have responded to FIP treatments GS-441524 and remdesivir.
The novel treatments, originally available in Australia and then in the UK since 2021, are available for vets to prescribe, although not yet in all countries.
Specialists in both countries now want to compile as much robust evidence as they can on the efficacy and possible side effects of the treatment, in the hope all information will allow the drugs to be legally imported into more countries to treat cats with FIP.
The International Society of Feline Medicine, the University of Surrey and The University of Sydney are involved in the study, with the UK FIP advice team involving leading vets Sam Taylor, Emi Barker, Séverine Tasker, Stephanie Sorrell and Danièlle Gunn-Moore.
In a letter calling for assistance from vets, the FIP advice team said: “Unfortunately, vets in many countries do not have access to these drugs as importation rules require robust evidence for their efficacy and any possible side effects. We would, therefore, like to record how cats around the world treated with legal drugs have responded (successfully or not) to the treatments and whether any adverse effects occurred.
“By telling us about the case(s) you treated, whatever the outcome, we can learn more about the efficacy of these drugs to inform FIP treatment globally.”
Participants can complete a spreadsheet for their cases or, if they prefer, case histories and results with the client details removed, or with express owner permission. These can be sent to [email protected] in the UK and Europe, and [email protected] in Australia.
The FIP advice team added: “These results will immediately have any owner details removed to maintain data handling rules, but the owner’s permission must be sought to send the data.
“Sharing a cat’s data is permissible and not subject to GDPR rules (UK), so please do anonymise the data yourself if you prefer, removing the client’s name and address.”
Anyone with further queries can email [email protected]
