ASHINGTON, March 6 — With
President Bush's smallpox vaccination program running far behind schedule,
federal officials asked Congress today to authorize compensation for people
injured by the vaccine.Vaccination News Home Page subscribe Vaccination NewsLetter
ASHINGTON, March 6 — With
President Bush's smallpox vaccination program running far behind schedule,
federal officials asked Congress today to authorize compensation for people
injured by the vaccine.
Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the compensation program was needed to bolster the nation's defense against "an intentional smallpox attack."
As Mr. Bush considers options for an invasion of Iraq within days, federal health officials issued more explicit warnings about the possible use of smallpox by terrorists in the United States.
"Smallpox poses a very real threat to our country and our citizens," said Tommy G. Thompson, the secretary of health and human services.
The absence of any federal compensation for injury or death is a major reason people have been reluctant to get the vaccine against smallpox, a highly contagious disease that can spread rapidly.
In July, federal officials said they wanted to see a half-million health care workers and emergency personnel vaccinated against smallpox in the first phase of an ambitious national program. These inoculations began on Jan. 24 and were supposed to be completed within 30 days. But as of Tuesday, federal officials said, only 12,404 people had been vaccinated.
Republican members of Congress said they hoped to give quick approval to legislation like that proposed by Mr. Bush.
Under the president's proposal, the government would pay $262,100 for each health worker who dies or is completely disabled by the vaccine. A person less severely injured could receive up to $50,000, plus medical expenses. The same payments would be available to people injured after coming into contact with a vaccinated worker.
The government said it would eventually make the vaccine available to the general public, but it is not recommending it, and these people would not be eligible for compensation from the new fund.
Robert E. McGarrah Jr., a public health expert at the A.F.L.-C.I.O., said the smallpox vaccination program got off to a disastrous start because "the administration refused to listen to the concerns of patients, doctors, nurses and other health care workers" worried about injuries.
Federal officials have asserted that state workers compensation programs would take care of injuries and lost wages. But Mr. McGarrah said "only 12 states have said they will offer coverage in the event of injury from this vaccine."
For every million people vaccinated, 1,000 may have serious reactions, 14 to 52 people will suffer life-threatening illnesses and 1 or 2 could die, federal officials said.
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OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
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