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October 11, 2002
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"More Smallpox Vaccines Ordered"
Financial Times (www.ft.com) (10/10/02) P. 2; Firn, David
British Department of Health officials report that with just 20 million doses of smallpox vaccine on hand, there is not enough to vaccinate everyone in the United Kingdom in the event of a bioterrorist attack. Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, said the current plan was to inoculate frontline healthcare workers against smallpox; but if inoculating the entire population became necessary, they would need 60 million doses of the vaccine. He added that the government is planning on purchasing more vaccine for their national stockpile, but it has not yet selected a supplier.
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