Concern has been raised that decreased frequency of vaccination of cats will result in reduction of routine health care. As a profession, we need to redirect our emphasis to regular (annual or more frequent) physical examinations and wellness care, and to educating the public as to the importance of frequent examinations. In conjunction with these examinations, practitioners should encourage pediatric and geriatric care, dental health, nutritional counseling, diagnostic testing, parasite control AND discussion of specific vaccinations needed for the individual patient. By promoting "wellness care" and stopping "overvaccination,* we will align ourselves with human medicine and gain the respect of our clients, while providing the best care to our patients.

The administration of rabies vaccine to cats is subject to both state and local statutes that are not consistent across jurisdictions or with immunological principles. As an example, many areas still require annual rabies vaccination. But as pointed out earlier, data shows that triennial programs are effective. This puts more cats needlessly at risk of adverse responses to vaccination including sarcoma development. There is a definite need for rabies vaccination programs. Therefore, veterinarians and veterinary organizations need to actively work with state and local governing bodies to see that laws are enacted to be consistent with known DOI and public safety.

With vaccination and other injection site recommendations, reporting of vaccine reactions, and gathering of information by epidemiologists, we hope to further identify causes of sarcomas. Genetic predisposition, method of injection and needle size have also been implicated as causes. Practitioners can help by reporting reactions and involving themselves in studies. Veterinary organizations, industry and academia can help further understanding by funding and performing research and epidemiological studies.

Additional DOI and challenge studies are needed. So too are studies that evaluate the correlation between them. Vaccination guidelines will continue to change as new scientific information becomes available. Industry is encouraged to routinely supply practitioners efficacy information and DOI and challenge studies on all biologics.

A number of new vaccines and vaccine delivery methods are currently under research and development. There will be vaccines available for a number of diseases that do not have a universal application, such as Toxoplasma, Bartonella (cause of Cat Scratch Disease) or Bordetella. Some of these new vaccines are to be administered to cats in order to protect the human population against zoonotic pathogens. Recombinant (genetically engineered) vaccines are already being introduced into the companion animal marketplace. Others are under development. These will be important tools in fighting disease. The expense of development will be substantial. The use and marketing of more specialized vaccines will be focused on their specific uses and benefits, not on universal utilization. Veterinarians need to stay aware of new developments in vaccinology and use vaccines wisely.

There has been an increased awareness of vaccine related problems. This has been addressed by all facets of the profession including manufacturers, academia, and practitioners. The cooperative efforts should be applauded and encouraged to continue. Practitioners should recognize the efforts of industry to provide effective and safe products and encourage them to continue to address concerns. In order to provide patients with the safest and most effective preventative health programs, all aspects of our profession need to further explore and define the disease processes and animals at risk so that vaccines are used in the most safe and productive manner.