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February 14, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Military Says Severe Reactions to Smallpox Vaccine Are Few" New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (02/14/03) P. A14

Col. John D. Grabenstein, the Army's deputy director for military vaccines, has reported to an Institute of Medicine panel that three serious reactions to the smallpox vaccine have been reported out of over 100,000 immunizations of military personnel--two cases of encephalitis and one heart infection.  All three of the affected personnel have recovered, Dr. Grabenstein said, adding that a lot of rashes have appeared, as well as minor complaints of fever and swollen lymph nodes.  Dr. Joseph Henderson, associate director for terrorism preparedness as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the panel that the civilian vaccination program had immunized 1,043 people as of Feb. 11 and that no serious reactions have been reported.  The civilian program has been slowed by concerns about liability and compensation, but Dr. Henderson believes that it will speed up soon.  If the complication rate reported by the military remains steady, it will match the rate of complications predicted based on data from 1960s vaccinations.

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