Letter from the Dept. of the Army

[Guest guest]

Below is a letter I received today from the Dept. of the Army, Joint

Program Office for Biological Defense.

If the FDA wasn't inspecting the anthrax vaccine line at MBPI, and the

Dept. of the Army wasn't inspecting it, was it being inspected at all?

You are all aware that I spoke with Dr. Bob Meyers at MBPI,

Tingley at the FDA, and Dempsey ( Tingley's supervisor), who

all confirmed that the anthrax vaccine suite at MBPI was until very

recently (2/98 I suspect) inspected by the military. Where are these

inspections if they do in fact exist?

Dear Ms. Greenleaf,

This is in response to your Freedom of Information Act request dated

October 9, 1998.

The Joint Program Office for Biological Defense does not conduct

inspections of BioPort (formerly known as the Michigan Biologic Products

Institute). We are not the office of record for the information described

in your letter, and a search of our files did not produce records

responsive to your request.

Inspections of BioPort fall under the purview of the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration (FDA). The FDA is the regulatory lead for the efficacy and

purity of drugs it include vaccines. Your Freedom of Information Act

request has been referred to the following office for action and direct

reply to you:

Food and Drug Administration

Freedom of Information Staff (HFI-35)

5600 Fishers Lane

Rockville, MD 20857

Phone: (301) 827-6567

If this office can be of further assistance, please contact me at (703)

681-9648.

Winifred L. Fanelli

Deputy Joint Program Manager

for Biological Defense

cc: OAASA, ATTN: OSA FOIA/PA Officer

OASARDA, ATTN: FOIA Officer