Anthrax vaccine may cause birth defects

[Guest guest]

FWD FROM PROVE:

[Note - I am not surprised by this. Every vaccine package insert that I have

read has the disclaimer that the vaccine was never evaluated for its effects

on fertility or if it can cause fetal harm. Where they are refusing to look

is probably where problems exist. - Dawn]

<A HREF= " http://www.detnews.com/2002/health/0201/17/a04-392873.htm " >

http://www.detnews.com/2002/health/0201/17/a04-392873.htm</A>

Anthrax vaccine may cause birth defects

Navy study prompts CDC warning to postal workers, Capitol Hill

By Deborah Funk / Army Times

WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning

civilians that the anthrax vaccine might be linked to birth defects if taken

during pregnancy, according to a preliminary Navy study still under review.

The warning is part of a new informed-consent form from the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention for civilian postal workers and Capitol Hill

staff offered the vaccine after anthrax mail attacks.

Workers must sign the form to take the vaccine because it is being used in

a different way -- after potential exposure as opposed to before and in

different doses -- than approved under its license, and because the Food and

Drug Administration has not approved the vaccine batch being offered.

" At this time no one knows for sure whether this vaccine can cause fetal

harm, " the CDC said.

The military's anthrax-vaccine program has stalled because of a supply

problem with the sole maker of the vaccine, BioPort Inc. of Lansing. The

vaccine is from older lots produced before BioPort received FDA approval. The

FDA has informed BioPort that it will allow production to resume.

The CDC notice is the first public acknowledgement of a potential link

between the vaccine and birth defects, and it contradicts an Army study that

found no reproductive health problems related to the anthrax vaccine for

military women who received the shots.

Details of the new study are sparse. Neither the CDC nor the Pentagon

would say what types of birth defects were found, their rates, who was

studied or the time the study covers. Defense Department officials only said

that the Navy conducted the study.

" The report is still in draft form only and is currently undergoing

revisions, " CDC spokesman Llewyn Grant said. " It's not yet available for

public release. "

Officials expect to finish validating the study by early April.