Panel: Military has vaccine problems

http://www.msnbc.com/news/804760.asp

Panel: Military has vaccine problems

Agency’s acquisition program may put forces, security at risk

ASSOCIATED PRESS


WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 — The Department of Defense’s vaccine acquisition program is underfunded and poorly organized, limitations that put military operations, the health of personnel and national security in jeopardy, an Institute of Medicine panel said Friday.

• Shop at B&N.com

• Auctions at uBid

• Yellow Pages

• Personals Channel

• Professional Tips

• Shopping

‘This approach risks the success of military operations and the health of personnel and potentially places national security at risk.’
—
Report by the Institute of Medicine

THE PANEL, convened in April 2000, urged the Pentagon in a 133-page report to make vaccine acquisition a higher priority and create a single authority responsible for acquiring vaccines for the military.
“Limitations in the acquisition process make the path from basic research to the procurement and use of vaccines both inefficient financially and cumbersome,” the report said. “This approach risks the success of military operations and the health of personnel and potentially places national security at risk.”
Infectious diseases have historically been a concern in military campaigns, and recent threats of bioterrorism, last year’s anthrax mailings and the possibility of a U.S. attack on Iraq, which is believed to be stockpiling biological weapons, have raised concerns about U.S. vaccine supplies.

TOO MANY AGENCIES

The panel said the biggest problems in the Department of Defense vaccine programs are that too many agencies have overlapping responsibilities. One part of the department purchases and maintains licensed medical products including vaccines, while a number of different Department of Defense agencies oversee research and development.
In addition, the department has divided its programs in a way the committee says “makes no sense.” The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command acquires vaccines for infectious diseases, while the department’s Joint Vaccine Acquisition Program, acquires vaccines for biological agents used as weapons.
The panel recommends combining all the programs because naturally occurring infectious diseases and infectious agents used as biological weapons can be the same, in the case of smallpox, for instance.

© 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Bush, strategists mull Iraq deadline

WashPost: Iraqis unfazed by prospect of war

Bush's bluster on Iraq conceals careful planning

One year later, a nation pauses

Security scares in air, on land and sea

MSNBC Cover Page

One year later, a nation pauses

Transcript of President Bush's address

New York City fragile a year later

Russert: Bush comfortably changing roles

Security scares in air, on land and sea

MSNBC Cover Page

	MSNBC READERS' TOP 10

	Would you recommend this story to other readers? not at all 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 highly

MSNBC is optimized for
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Windows Media Player

• MSNBC Terms,
	Conditions and Privacy © 2002

Vaccination News Home Page

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.