News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – Most states remain unprepared for a bioterrorist attack despite 3 years of federal focus on the issue, according to a report issued by a national nonprofit organization.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Department of Defense (DoD) has asked for emergency authority to ignore a recent court ruling and resume vaccinating military personnel against anthrax because of what is described as an increased risk of attacks on US forces.

Editor's note: A correction was made in this story Nov 9 to make clear that the licensed anthrax vaccine does not contain the recombinant form of anthrax protective antigen.

(CIDRAP News) – The Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) said last week that it plans to buy up to 5 million doses of the controversial anthrax vaccine currently used by the US military and put it in the national stockpile for civilian use.

Editor's note: A correction was made in this story Nov 9 to note that the existing licensed anthrax vaccine contains the natural rather than recombinant form of anthrax protective antigen.

(CIDRAP News) – Federal health officials today announced the award of an $877 million contract for 75 million doses of a new anthrax vaccine to protect the public and improve on the existing vaccine used by the military.

(CIDRAP News) – The Department of Defense (DoD) has suspended its anthrax vaccination program in response to a federal court ruling that military personnel should not have to accept the shots against their will unless the president orders them to do so.

(CIDRAP News) – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the most important lesson gleaned from examining the anthrax exposures in US Postal Service (USPS) facilities in 2001 is that agencies must err on the side of caution to protect people from uncertain and potentially life-threatening risks.

(CIDRAP News) – US Army and private researchers have developed a powdered anthrax vaccine that looks promising in initial animal studies and could eliminate the need for needle injections, according to the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Findings from researchers at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine may offer physicians further help in quickly and accurately distinguishing early inhalational anthrax from other respiratory conditions—a vitally important skill if a widespread anthrax emergency were to occur.

(CIDRAP News) – President Bush today signed the bill establishing Project BioShield, a $5.6 billion program to speed the development of drugs and vaccines to combat the effects of biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological agents.

(CIDRAP News) – The US House this week overwhelmingly approved the "BioShield" bill to guarantee a market for antidotes to biological and chemical weapons, thereby sending the legislation to President Bush for his promised signature.