Since I opted for accounting instead of shorthand in school, the following is a factually close rendering ( not verbatim) of two C-SPAN offerings this AM

Subcommittee on Waste, Fraud and Abuse. Chairman Shays from Illinois, along with Republicans Biggert - Illinois, Shoder - Indiana, Mica - Florida held a press conference on Anthrax immunizations programs in the military. The report provides a scathing assessment of the program and it's consequences. It's primary focus was the potential health effects, and how these concerns are affecting the lives of those refusing inoculations. The following points were some of those they brought to light from their extensive investigations. Concerns may possibly be colored by the 15 hearings it has held on PD, an experimental drug given to Gulf War personnel. It was supposed to deter deterioration of the nerves after a nerve gas attack Investigations continue....

1. The sole provider of the anthrax vaccine, Bioport, has not delivered one single lot of approved serum since receiving new funding to increase production to accommodate the more than 2.4 million men and women scheduled to receive it.

2. An internet-phenomenon-persuaded investigation has ensued because of inter base and cross service discussions over the net. Similar health problems, upon receiving the vaccine, came to light.

3. They will recommend that the vaccine is redefined as an "off shelf' or "investigative " drug, which would then require INFORMED CONSENT to the potential recipients. This would allow those people to make a personal risk/benefit analysis, and volunteer for the vaccine regime. It consists of 6 shots over a period of 18 months.

4.The average number of inoculations per year had been about 300, until recently.

5. In an environment of declining enlistment, re-enlistment and increasing early outs, all 4 branches of the Armed Services are encountering problems staffing the JEP (just enough personnel) in the new pared down version of the military. Combined with the threat of prosecution for refusing to comply with the mandatory program, moral is at a low point. The specter of resuming the DRAFT looms on the near horizon if trends continue..

6. Nothing that has been forthcoming from Bioport that dissuades the concerns of the panel about it's problems. In fact, it has failed all 4 requirements set forth by Sec. Cohen to establish a safe program. ( I could not decipher the requirements fast enough to be representatively factual here)

7. A very small percentage of the 2.4 million service personnel are "ever" going to be in a theater where they may be exposed to anthrax.

8. The current vaccine has never been tested on inhalation anthrax, since it was developed in the '50s for farm workers, and little improvement has been made since. A new vaccine must be developed at the gene level.

Aside: Like I said earlier, watch Greenspan. In times of severe economic recession, the flee into Armed Services is profound.

Shortly afterwards the Pentagon Press Briefing was viewable on C-SPAN. The following are the points I noted (not my views OK??);

1. The DoD is "very" confident in it's Anthrax Vaccination Program

2. Anthrax is the #1 threat to servicemen and civilians alike. Since it is a 'hardy' bacterium, it is THE most viable WMD. It has been developed into WMD in at least 8 countries that are not allied with the United States, as well as some terrorist organizations. If exposed by a single event, the effective chance of survival of an unprotected individual is "0%" Dr. Sue Bailey, Asst. Sec. of Defense for Health affairs, likened it to aerosolized eboli.

3. Dr Bailey rejects the notion that testing on non human primates precludes the validity of test results. Since it is impossible to test inhalation anthrax, because there is 100% mortality after symptoms occur, there must be a continuation of the present regime, while new vaccines are developed and tested.

4. Maj. General Randal West - Biological Defense Dept. of DoD. reports that 1.5 million shots have already been issued to 400k troops. Through the Vaccine Adverse Effect Reaction Reporting System, only 620 reports have been logged. Of that only 106 have resulted in out of work time. 70 of these have been found to be directly attributable to the vaccine. Only 6 have been categorized as serious enough to require hospitalization.

5. The vaccine has been FDA approved.

6. The DoD rejects the voluntary immunization program. Maj. Gen. West says they will continue to prosecute, after all efforts are exhausted to remediate the confusion about disobeying a direct order.

7. The vacine has been tested at 500x LD (lethal dose) and found effective after only 2 injections, in non human primates.

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), February 17, 2000

Answers

You really gotta wonder about why the military is so insistent about this one and not really even willing to listen to reason????? (all they are asking for is a moratorium so the issue can be addressed appropriately) especially with the current focus on beefing up our domestic terrorism efforts? maybe they are afraid the only people left after they allow us to be attacked domestically WILL BE THOSE WHO TOOK THE VACCINE.

i did work on this project about four years ago (i think that is when it was) doing the planning at DoD HA as to how to get this up and running quickly and for the system that would track the administration of the vaccine and they were rushing this thing forward within a sixty day period. i think the project was ill conceived and ill run from the very beginning and i really never knew where the pressure was coming from to have such a quick implementation especially in light of concerns on the part of many healthcare professionals. plus this was right in the heyday on persian gulf syndrome.

Shays was truly excellent in his analysis, I thought. Yet, it seems to me the pentagon is NOT LISTENING NO MATTER WHAT!!

personally i think sue bailey and maj gen west are full of it!!!! i was under the impression that 1) this seems to be OLD vaccine that was previously (or at least some of the same lots that are being given to soldiers) rejected by the FDA--they are using it anyway. 2) because of sort of "clinton" waiver/allowance--the soldiers don't have to given informed consent. 3) they are unable to meet the rigorous protocols that are required to administer the vaccine so who knows whether it will be effective.

I think the DoD healthcare system is awful anyway (after working there for five years) NOT THE DOCS AND NURSES BUT THE CONSTRAINTS UNDER WHICH THEY MUST OPERATE AND THE MILITARY'S LIMITED BENEFITS FOR ACTIVE AND RETIRED FOLKS. PLUS WITH THEIR SHUTTING THE BASES DOWN, IT HAS CREATED EVEN MORE CHAOS FOR CONTINUING HEALTHCARE. And these poor soldiers and their families get miserable MISERABLE TREATMENT!!!!!.

Personally, i would like to thank BILL CLINTON for his "excellent support" of our soldiers and their families and for placing NON MILITARY PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF OUR MILITARY who probably don't give a rip about them and would actually like to see our military go down the tubes!!!!

-- tt (cuddluppy@aol.com), February 18, 2000.