It’s surprising the amount of pharmaceutical drugs that use animal products and for some vegans it’s serious business.
"Medicine is one of the more difficult products for vegans to avoid, especially if something is life-threatening," Proctor tells Shots. "How far are you prepared to go for your own convictions?"
Next time you're reaching for your medicine, take into account the animal products that could be used in their production. Here are some of the more popular examples:
1. Gelatin
Used in various pharmaceuticals and vitamins as a stabilizer that adds bulk. It’s made from the skin and bones of cattle and pigs.
2. Carmine
If your medicine has a red tint, there’s a good chance it has carmine. It's made from the red pigment of crushed female cochineal insect. Reportedly, 70,000 beetles are used to produce one pound of this red dye.
3. Catgut
Tough string made from the intestines of sheep and horses. It's used for surgical sutures.
4. Cortisone
Cortisone is a hormone made from adrenal glands.
5. Estradiol
It's a drug used in birth control pills and Premarin. It's made from the female hormones of pregnant mares.
6. Fish Liver Oil
Source of omega 3 fatty acids as well as milk fortified with vitamin D.
7. Insulin
It's made from hog pancreas and used by millions of diabetics.
