Pentagon to resume forced anthrax vaccine program

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Monday said it will force troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and South Korea to be vaccinated against anthrax, restarting a court-halted program after U.S. regulators declared the shots safe and effective.

But William Winkenwerder, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said the Pentagon has no plans to vaccinate troops serving elsewhere, including those in the United States -- site of the only major anthrax attack against Americans, which killed five people in 2001.

"There are terrorists operating in and around Iraq and in that part of the world," Winkenwerder said. "That's a higher threat area."
...
But attorneys whose lawsuit previously shut down the mandatory anthrax vaccination program said they plan to file a new suit to challenge its resumption.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-10-16T211105Z_01_N16365545_RTRUKOC_0_US-SECURITY-PENTAGON-ANTHRAX.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsArt-L3-Politics+NewsNews-2

[babylonsister]

1. That begs the question, "Why now?" nt

[IndianaGreen]

6. We are planning to attack a country that may retaliate with WMDs

that's the only logical explanation I think of for "why now."

[Monkeyman]

7. Iran

[aquart]

9. Any proof whatsoever that Iran has weaponized anthrax?

Or knows how to use it?

My best guess is CHECK WHO WAS AWARDED THE CONTRACT.

[Marie26]

15. Emergent Biosolutions

"The vaccine is manufactured by Emergent BioSolutions, a pharmaceutical company based in Gaithersburg, Md. Each dose costs $24.78, according to Terry Jones, a spokesman for the Pentagon's Office of Health Affairs."
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/15774705.htm


Emergent owns Bioport, the company that got the original Defense Dept. anthrax contract.

"The BioPort Corporation (also Bioport) of Lansing, Michigan, landed an exclusive license to produce anthrax vaccine is the only licensed U.S. manufacturer of anthrax vaccine.

The only licensed U.S. anthrax vaccine maker, BioPort, turned government contracts into "a gold mine," with help from the "right lobbyists and public relations professionals," writes Bob Evans in the Daily Press. <1> (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/13368277.htm)

In 2002, following questions about vaccine safety and its financial practices, BioPort nearly quadrupled spending on lobbyists (from $30,000 to $110,000) and hired Ruder Finn and Fleishman-Hillard, "high-powered public relations firms staffed by many former government officials." The company began "sponsoring 'public education seminars' and studies."

In September 2002, a report released by "bioterrorism experts" encouraged the government "to purchase millions of doses of BioPort's product." Evans says the report was actually "written by either BioPort or its public relations agent." BioPort also pays $40,000 a year to upkeep a website that "says it's sponsored by the Partnership for Anthrax Vaccination Education" and touts BioPort's product. This year, BioPort won "a $122.7 million contract" with the Department of Health and Human Services, with more funding under negotiation.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=BioPort_Corporation

[EFerrari]

8. No, there ia another one. There's so much going on that the

contract may go through without a much attention. Some retired general/investor will make a buck and some of our people will get sick.

[babylonsister]

13. Or someone like Rummy. Isn't he heavily invested in something

to do with cipro? or something to do with anthrax?

[EFerrari]

16. I tracked down the anthrax vaccine once and it wasn't him

but some other retired general. I think DR is on the board of a company that makes cipro.

It's a giant clusterf#ck.

[sofa king]

12. Why now? Money, of course.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2370073

You see, the bin Laden's banker and the guy who got John O'Neill killed have an anthrax vaccine company that's about to go public any day now.

It would be very unfortunate for Emergent Biosolutions if their company, which will soon be capable of making millions of doses of anthrax vaccine, doesn't have any anthrax threat to vaccinate against.

So Donald Rumsfeld is creating one for them. He's really good at that sort of thing, and yes, I'm a little unhappy that I had to eat my Cipro prescription recently.

[babylonsister]

14. Yep, see #13. I know Rumsferatu is invested in 'the cure'. nt

[Tellurian]

18. Another, LIE!

Good linkage info...thanks-

[Tellurian]

17. I know- Really, Why Now?

I did a research paper some years back on the tainted Anthrax vaccine they were forcing on US Troops.
Of course, that is before they high jacked GOOGLE...

The side effects were insidious and toxic in some cases deadly. The original Anthrax Vaccine was cut with the additive, Squaline. Squaline (shark/serum/cartilage) was used to enhance the absorption rate of the Anthrax vaccine.

The original protocol for the immunization series calls for six injections of the vaccine over a period of 18 months, followed by annual booster shots.

The army learned, so they said, there was a very good possibility Anthrax would be the weapon of choice used on US Troops. They ramped up their immunization program using Squaline as an absorption enhancement drug and administered the 3 shots to our troops within a month's time.

Soldier debilitation began almost immediately with them exhibiting a whole host of symptoms. Some were suffering severe joint pain, as the Squaline was drawn to joints with heavy cartilage. The knee and ankle joints, elbows and wrist joint. For some the squaline settled in the lumbar regions the 2-4 neck vertebrae leaving the recipients hopelessly in excruciating pain. Some reacted differently, developing rare forms of untreatable cancerous brain tumors, some developed unhealable open lesions on their extremities. Some were driven to suicide, severe depression overtaken by despair, feeling abandoned and betrayed.

To make matters worse the VA Hospital refused to recognize any of these symptoms as the result of the Anthrax inoculations or anything the military was responsible for. Which exponentially accelerated a bad situation into an unbearable situation for these poor souls. They were refused treatment or testing for an accurate diagnosis of the source of their problem. The DOD flatly refusing to admit they were at fault for the overwhelming evidence pointing to the Anthrax inoculations.

With the help of many, we finally got the mandatory immunizations halted long enough for examination of the vaccine proving the Squaline was the culprit in the equation. It took 2 yrs and a lawsuit with the help of some of the most creative people alive today (soldier moms/wives) many doctors, lawyers, Dem senators, Dem Reps, and many others. Newspaper and media reports to get the job done. It was well worth the fight.

Next task, tackle the DOD..many hearings later. The mandatory inoculations halted..!
Soldiers needing care...recognized by the VA.

Why are they restarting this inoculation program all over again?
As it turned out, Saddam NEVER did use Anthrax against our troops..

So, why now?

I hope we're not in for Round 2..
We're always fighting behind the curve.

Meanwhile, so many people irreparably harmed.

[Monkeyman]

2. Crap how many sick this time

[OhioChick]

3. Out of curiosity's sake.....

Did we ever catch the perpetrators of the anthrax attack in 2001? :sarcasm:

[liberal N proud]

4. Hmmmm? Is there going to be an anthrax attack late in October?

A sudden terror attack of anthrax?

[gatlingforme]

20. That is a damn good point.

[Ian David]

5. The government that deliberately spreads AIDS under "abstinence-only"

is suddenly concerned about a disease that may-- at worst-- kill a few hundred people?

Yeah, right.

Bush and The Vatican have killed more people using AIDS then any other terrorist could ever even dream of killing.

"Abstinence-Only" is the most effective biological weapons attack of all time.

[Demeter]

10. Right On!

And then there's the lives destroyed by the Bush economy, if you will pardon the phrase: those who lost their medical insurance, their life savings, their small businesses, their incomes, their marriages, their minds....

[Shipwack]

11. The top brass -know- the shots are unsafe....

If they were safe for humans, Washington DC (and the Pentagon)would be first scheduled to get them, instead of dead last, 10 years after all these worthless turds are long gone.

I only got one of the series, and then transferred to another command, where I conveniently "forgot" to inform my medical branch I needed the rest, a decision my corpsman agreed with. Now I'm retired and it's one less thing I don't have to worry about...

[Stand and Fight]

19. I received three myself.... Now I have MAJOR concerns.

I also have some strange health issues -- mainly centered around my bones and muscles -- that I am reluctant to see a doctor about, as I -- like 45,999,999 other Americans do not have health insurance. Many of my symptoms are strikingly similar to those attributed to people who've received anthrax vaccination.

Needless to say, it was mandatory that I receive them when I was in... I got out in early 2004.

[bpeale]

21. swine flu vaccine

this will end up just like the swine flu vaccine which was FORCED on military personnel. the government was sued by quite a few people for this. forcing vaccinations on people with questionable vaccines should be illegal.

[librechik]

22. just in time for the October Surprise!