"Report Faults Federal Officials for Problems in Smallpox Program"

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April 30, 2003

 

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

 

"Report Faults Federal Officials for Problems in Smallpox Program"

New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (04/30/03) P. A16; Pear, Robert

 

According to congressional investigators from the General Accounting Office, federal health officials are responsible for many of the problems hindering the U.S. smallpox immunization program.  The investigators' report notes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not set a new national goal for smallpox immunization, has not asked states to revise their plans, and has not explained how 50,000 vaccinated health workers will be enough to deal with a smallpox attack instead of the original goal of 500,000 health workers.  The second phase of the program is to begin in May, vaccinating up to 10 million civilian health care and emergency workers, and federal officials hope that more people will volunteer thanks to Congress' authorization of compensation for those injured by the vaccine.  The investigators also noted that the program's cost was underestimated, it was expanded too quickly, and the government did not distribute the safest kind of needles, which led to concern among health care workers about possible needle-stick injuries that could expose them to live [vaccinia] virus in the smallpox vaccine.

 

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