“Cheney Urges Congress to Pass Project BioShield Bill”

Return to Vaccination News Home Page

Subscribe to the Vaccination NewsLetter

View past & current Scandals (columns by Sandy Mintz)

Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

Vice President Dick Cheney is lobbying to win congressional support for Project BioShield, even though some Democrat lawmakers still question the preparedness of the Department of Homeland Security to implement the program. The program will direct $6 billion over the next decade to finance the development of vaccines and treatments for diseases that may be used in a biological weapons attack. In a speech to the American Association of Health Plans, Cheney said that while United States has gained ground in biological weapons research, more needed to be done in the way of medical treatment for new chemical agents. “For example, the smallpox vaccine available today is not much different than those that were used in the 1960s, and some treatments for radiation/chemical exposure have not changed much since the 1970s,” he noted. However, Project BioShield would finance the development of new vaccines and treatments for smallpox, botulinum toxin, and anthrax. If approved, the bill would also give the Food and Drug Administration authority to accelerate the distribution of new treatments in the event of a crisis.

Return to Vaccination News Home Page

DISCLAIMER: All information, data, and material contained, presented, or provided here is for general information purposes only and is not to be construed as reflecting the knowledge or opinions of the publisher, and is not to be construed or intended as providing medical or legal advice. The decision whether or not to vaccinate is an important and complex issue and should be made by you, and you alone, in consultation with your health care provider.