Defense seeks emergency authority to resume anthrax vaccinations (Korea?)

[The Straight Story]

Defense seeks emergency authority to resume anthrax vaccinations

By Chris Strohm
[e-mail]
The Defense Department has asked the Health and Human Services Department for emergency authority to resume its anthrax vaccination program for military personnel, Government Executive has learned.

Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz issued a Dec. 10 memo asking HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to declare an emergency in order to justify using the vaccine for protection against inhaled anthrax. The military's anthrax vaccination program was suspended in late October by a federal judge in response to a lawsuit filed by six anonymous plaintiffs. The lawsuit argued that the vaccine was not proven to protect against inhaled anthrax, and led to health problems.

In the memo, Wolfowitz said he has "determined there is a significant potential for a military emergency involving a heightened risk to United States military forces of attack with anthrax."

"In making this determination," Wolfowitz added, "I have considered a classified November 2004 Intelligence Community assessment of the anthrax threat. This heightened risk has been and continues to be the basis for the DoD program of vaccinating personnel serving in the areas of the Central Command and Korea."

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1204/121504c1.htm

[The Straight Story]

1. Self Kick (eom)