Washington - 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.

The congressionally appointed 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.

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.

Spokesmen for the Pentagon and Army could not be reached by phone. In an e-mail, Department of Defense spokesman Jim Turner said: "We appreciate the thoughtful work of the IOM on this important matter and will be studying their recommendations carefully. In the meantime, no decisions about the report have been made."