ASHINGTON,
April 11 (Reuters) — Major drug companies teamed up with the federal
government today to make sure doctors obtain bioterrorism information
from a powerful delivery device: their sales forces.
Drug salespeople will carry information from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention about anthrax, and eventually other diseases, to
doctors and other health professionals on their regular visits, Health
and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said.
The program was suggested by Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers of America, which represents the drug industry.
"We are seeing a kind of public-private partnership the American
public needs now more than ever," Mr. Thompson said today at a news
conference.
Bioterrorism experts say that if an attack takes place, it will
probably not be immediately noticed. Victims do not always know they
have been exposed to an agent, and doctors often do not recognize the
symptoms of rare or eradicated diseases like anthrax, smallpox or
plague.
Two postal workers who died of anthrax in Washington went to
emergency rooms but were sent home after being told they had the flu.
In the program, the pharmaceutical group has printed 20,000 fliers on
recognizing and treating anthrax, to be distributed in a pilot program
in 13 cities. If it works well, more fliers will be printed, with
information about other bioterrorism agents.
Alan Holmer, president of the pharmaceutical group, said four drug
companies —
Bayer, Eli Lilly & Company,
Pharmacia and
GlaxoSmithKline — would take part at
first, but he said all the group's member companies were interested.
