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July 18, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

“State Defends its Smallpox Vaccine Plan”

Albany Times Union (www.timesunion.com) (07/16/03) P. B1; Hughes, Claire

The New York Department of Health will dispose of 650 doses of unused smallpox vaccine due to their expiration as effective products and the lack of participation in the state’s smallpox vaccination plan; the department gave out only 747 doses of the smallpox vaccine to healthcare workers during the campaign’s first wave.  The department sent multiple vials from the Centers for Disease Control throughout the state, which led to the high number of doses going to waste.  Other states, such as Pennsylvania, are also disposing of unused smallpox vaccines.  Institute of Medicine chair of a committee monitoring the smallpox vaccination program Brian L. Strom supports the state’s smallpox vaccine methods and asserts that the taxpayers did not pay for the waste since the doses were donated by the government.