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May 14, 2003
U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Viability of Biodefense Bill in Doubt"
Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com) (05/12/03) P. 9; James, Frank
The White House is touting a $6 billion plan of bioterror protection called Project BioShield, which could receive congressional approval as the public's eye is turned toward the risk of bioterrorist attacks in the United States--yet several experts on bioterrorism are raising doubts as to whether the scheme will provide enough protection against such threats. The 10-year plan seems to have the backing in the Senate necessary for passage and is a little less certain in the House of Representatives, but critics say that the money is not actually enough to draw the top companies and researchers into the field of producing counteragents to bioterrorist products, such as smallpox, anthrax, or pneumonic plague. Drug industry executives note that it takes about $500 million to get a single product from the drawing board to the market--a process that would rapidly eat away at the $6 billion pledge--while companies also say that they are unwilling to do the work without promises of protection from liability lawsuits that could arise if a protecting agent had dangerous side effects. Still, the biggest problem, say scientists, is the lack of leadership in this
initiative: the money is being pledged, but interest in the endeavor could fade quickly as the government's attention is pulled away by other matters or if bioterrorist attacks do not come back to the United States and grip the public once again.
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