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April 26, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Others Follow U.S. on Smallpox Vaccine"

New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (04/25/02) P. A8; Broad, William J.; Miller, Judith

A number of countries around the world are starting to acquire stocks of smallpox vaccine, according to health experts and others.  The moves are a reflection of growing concern that terrorist groups or rogue states could obtain the smallpox virus and use it as a biological weapon.  The United States began an intense program to increase its stocks of the smallpox vaccine after last year's bioterrorist attacks that left five people dead [from anthrax].  Bill Pierce, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, says other countries are now following the U.S. lead, and his agency is currently in talks with foreign governments about the issue.  In the United Kingdom, government officials announced a few weeks ago that they had ordered 30 million doses of the smallpox vaccine from a British company, while American experts say Israel recently ordered 6 million doses and France ordered 3 million doses of the vaccine.  In addition, last month's issue of "The CBW Conventions Bulletin," a Harvard journal on biological and chemical weapons that is regarded as authoritative on the subject, reported that Greece had ordered 150,000 doses of the smallpox vaccine, Ireland had ordered 600,000 doses, and Germany had ordered 6 million doses. It is unclear at the moment where most countries would get their vaccines, but a number of drug companies around the world are currently gearing up to manufacture it.

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.