A congressional subcommittee has demanded the removal of a popular flea and flea collar related to the deaths of 1,700 pets and suspected to have caused disease in tens of thousands more.
In a letter to the manufacturer of the Seresto necklace, one of the best-selling on Amazon and to major U.S. pet retailers, U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) Demanded an immediate withdrawal, citing reports which has been involved in pets and nearly 1,000 human-related incidents, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency.
“We believe the actual number of dead and injured is much higher, as the average consumer would not know how to report pet damage to EPA, an agency that apparently has nothing to do with pet consumer products,” he wrote. Krishnamoorthi a la carte.
The EPA, which regulates pet collars because they contain pesticides, was also accused of not doing enough to address the massive number of complaints it had received, according to USA Today, which first reported problems with collars on March 2 along with the Midwest Research Report Center.
The Seresto necklace “is the only flea and tick necklace that combines a two-pesticide cocktail,” Krishnamoorthi wrote in a letter to Jeff Simmons, executive director of its manufacturer, Elanco Animal Health, citing EPA data. While this may make collars more effective against fleas, “apparently, they can also be more toxic to pets and humans,” the legislator added.
An incident involving a 12-year-old boy sleeping in bed with a dog wearing his collar caused the boy to be hospitalized due to seizures and vomiting, Krishnamoorthi wrote.
In addition to demanding a withdrawal and refunds for Elanco customers, Krishnamoorthi, chairman of the economic and consumer policy subcommittee, is asking German pharmaceutical giant Bayer, which originally developed the necklace, to publish information on its toxicity.
Among the issues lawmakers are examining are all communications “between Bayer and Elanco during Bayer Animal Health’s acquisition of Elanco on toxicity or risk of death and injury to domestic or human animals from flea Seresto ticks and the transfer of responsibilities, “according to the letter.
Bayer sold its animal health division to Elanco last year for $ 7.5 billion. In 2019, it reported revenues of more than $ 300 million from the Seresto Pass.
Elanco officials could not be contacted immediately on Friday.
Elanco officials said Friday they are cooperating with the congressional subcommittee investigation and “hope to explain how media reports on the issue have been widely refuted by toxicologists and veterinarians.” The company added that “no market action, such as withdrawal, is guaranteed, nor has it been suggested by any regulatory body.”
“There is no medical or scientific basis for initiating a removal of Seresto collars and we are disappointed because this causes confusion and unfounded fear for pet owners trying to protect their pets from fleas and ticks,” said Dr. Tony Rumschlag. senior director of technical consultants. to Elanco, he said in a statement to USA Today.
A retired EPA employee, Karen McCormack, disagrees, The Post reported. McCormick told USA Today that the collars have the highest number of pet pesticide incidents they have ever seen.
Seresto is one of the most popular necklaces sold on Amazon, which has numerous disturbing opinions about the product.
“10 days after I put the Seresto collar on my dog, he suffered from a neurological problem diagnosed as meningitis‘ of unknown origin ’,” one client wrote. “He temporarily lost the use of his hind legs and the vet’s bills have already exceeded $ 5,000.”
Amazon told USA Today through a spokeswoman that it is “reviewing” the product.