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April 5, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Sen. Cleland Seeks Bioterrorism Center Controlled by CDC"

Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) (04/04/02) P. B4; Carrns, Ann

Speaking at Emory University in Atlanta, Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) said he intended to propose legislation that would establish a National Center for Bioterrorism Response and Readiness at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  He noted that with over 20 federal agencies participating in some capacity in the war against bioterrorism, he feels there is a need for a central role taker in the event of a public emergency.  He commented that the CDC took the lead last year when the anthrax scare was about and also has years of experience and expertise to back it.  The CDC's responsibilities, he said, would include training an elite bioterrorism response team, developing response plans for possible bioterror events, developing electronic disease-surveillance systems, administering grants for state and local governments to upgrade their own safety and public health systems, and maintaining the national vaccine and antidotes stockpile.  The CDC's parent agency, the department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has not yet commented on Cleland's proposal, but a spokesman noted that the Bush administration has clearly made an investment in bioterrorism with a proposed $4.3 billion expenditure for the HHS and the creation of the Office of Public Health Preparedness to coordinate the agency's initiatives on the table.  Meanwhile, the Marcus Foundation, established by former Home Depot Chairman Bernard Marcus, has pledged a total of $3.9 million toward helping the CDC establish a 24-hour high-tech emergency-response center--an action that followed the anthrax scare during which the CDC was hampered by inadequate communications equipment.

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