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April 3, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"New Options in Assault on Smallpox"

New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (04/02/02) P. F5; Altman, Lawrence K.

A new method of manufacturing the smallpox vaccine should make it safer to use in the event of an outbreak of the disease. Traditionally, scientists manufactured the smallpox vaccine by inserting a strain of vaccinia, an organism related to the smallpox virus, into the skin of a calf, where it would grow until later removed and turned into a vaccine.  The problem was that many people suffered from side effects with this form of the vaccine, including brain damage and death, a situation that is no longer acceptable.  Because the new batches of the smallpox vaccine are being produced using test tubes [tissue culture], it is probable that they will be safer than the old ones. Nevertheless, there are no plans currently to vaccinate every American against smallpox, as the risks are still too great.

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