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PETA Premarin Campaign

Susan Daniel took Premarin, an HRT drug, for 27 years following ovarian cancer. After learning that it is made with animal-derived oestrogen, she switched to one of the many synthetic and natural alternatives. Premarin contains Pregnant Mares Urine, and is the most-prescribed drug in the world, used in the treatment of Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Susan now campaigns widely for greater awareness of the suffering of horses and slaughter of foals born to mares used in the production of Premarin (and the related Prempak-C, Premique and Premique Cycle, the only drugs still made from oestrogen derived in this way), and for greater understanding of the other safe, effective synthetic and plant-derived alternatives available.

Every year, approximately 75,000 mares will be impregnated and confined in cramped stalls so that their oestrogen-rich urine can be collected for use as the active ingredient in these four HRT drugs. Every Spring, the mares give birth to foals, who are trucked to stockyards for fattening before being trucked long distances to slaughter. A few are kept for stud or to replace the worn-out mares, as they become old, infertile or crippled after 20 years on the production line.

For six months, while their bodies are producing the most oestrogen, these mares are unable to take more than a step or two in any direction, turn around, or even lie down comfortably, resulting in distress, injury and lameness. They are kept short of water in order to concentrate their urine, which can lead to kidney and liver problems, causing the mares to struggle and injure themselves in their desperate attempts to reach water during distribution times. The mares are re-impregnated seven to nine days after giving birth, so that they can be put straight back on the production line, a gruelling cycle which can continue for 20 years or more. Their wounds are mostly untreated in order not to contaminate the urine with antibiotics. They are fitted with rubber urine collection bags, which chafe, and are tied up in cement-floored stalls measuring just 1.20mtrs wide and 2.5mtrs long. This continues for 11 months until their foals, the by-product of this unnecessary industry, are born.

Premarin, Prempack-C, Prempro and Premphase are manufactured by Wyeth-Ayerst in Canada and the U.S., and also in the U.K. under the names Premique and Premique Cycle