Anthrax Vaccination Program
On May 18, 1998, Secretary of Defense William Cohen approved a plan to vaccinate all U.S. service members for anthrax. This plan has caused a fierce ethical debate over the legitimacy of this vaccination. The Department of Defense claims the vaccination is completely safe and has been in use for decades. Some doctors dispute this claim, and contend the vaccination may not be effective against weapon versions of anthrax. Many service members have refused the vaccination and have either separated or faced formal punishment for their decision. The Bioport Corporation of Lansing Michigan is the only company that produces the anthrax vaccine. According to a Phoenix Times article, the original Bioport plant had to be demolished due to quality control problems. A new plant was built, but it also failed FDA inspections in December of 1999. Subsequently, the process of administering the vaccination to all service members has been suspended. The vaccination is currently administered only to personnel deploying to "high threat" areas of the world. The Joint Staff has designated Korea, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yemen, and Israel as high-threat areas. The immunizatio
The enemy forces could then merely develop a new strain of the disease or another type of biological weapon making the whole effort moot. Her research has shown that the vaccine can cause chronic symptoms that often worsen after the fourth shot is administered. The last type is inhalation anthrax, which is the type used in biological weapons. DOD's point of view suggests the vaccine is safe and will work. They also claim unprotected individuals have a 99% chance of death after exposure. One of Bioport's most visible corporate directors is former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Adm. The vapor is odorless, colorless, taste-free and leaves no cloud. 7 million contract with the DOD to produce the vaccine. " It seems service members will continue to face the decision of whether to take the vaccination or not. n is administered in a series of six shots over an eighteen-month period, with annual boosters. Sue Baily, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, holds the position that the vaccine is very safe and effective against a biological agent produced by many of our adversaries. " They say it is one of the most effective biological weapons because it is almost always deadly if not treated early. "Vaccinating everyone against one particular strain of anthrax, or one particular biological weapon, for that matter, would only protect them against that one thing. 8 million but would receive 25% less vaccine. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia defines anthrax as "a contagious disease of warm-blooded animals, including humans, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.
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