“Uptake on vultures”

The report on vultures ("Uptake on vultures,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, October 7, 2005) has mentioned several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) for relief from pain in humans and animals such as Diclofenac, Meloxicam, Ketopro­fen and Carprofen. All these drugs are patented after long-term trials for determining any toxic effects on human beings. Therefore, if these drugs are prescribed as safe for humans, why do they have toxic effects on vultures? This is because vultures are not able to eliminate from their system the toxic residues of the drugs through urine and/or excreta, and therefore these drugs become cumulative poisons.

Thus, no matter what NSAID drugs are administered to animals or consumed by humans, unless these scavengers develop their inherent ability to eliminate the toxic residues from their system, preventing mortality in vultures will remain a far cry and a distant dream.

Dr P. D. SUNAVALA