Panel votes against nationwide inoculation for smallpox

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Panel votes against nationwide inoculation for smallpox

By ERIN McCLAM, Associated Press

ATLANTA (June 20, 7:31 p.m. CDT) - A government advisory panel came out

against vaccinating all Americans against smallpox Thursday, proposing

instead that the shots be given to special teams of people in each state who

would be designated the first to respond in case of a bioterrorism attack.

The unanimous recommendation by the Advisory Committee on Immunization

Practices, which sets U.S. vaccine policy, came after two days of hearings

on the threat of a smallpox attack versus the dangerous side effects of the

vaccine. The panel is made up of 15 experts, mostly doctors.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy said that he will review

the recommendation as quickly as possible " so that we have a policy in place

as more vaccine becomes available later this year. "

It is still subject to approval by the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, and possibly the White House.

Currently, smallpox vaccinations are given only to scientists who handle the

virus. But federal health officials asked the panel to reconsider after

Sept. 11 and the anthrax-by-mail attacks.

Under the plan proposed Thursday, states would designate smallpox response

teams - probably including doctors, disease detectives, nurses, lab workers

and law enforcement officers - who would be the first to investigate a

suspected terrorist release of the virus. These teams would be vaccinated

against the deadly virus.

States would also be allowed to vaccinate staff at pre-designated hospitals

where patients with confirmed cases of smallpox would be treated.

The plan calls for the vaccination of an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 people,

who could begin receiving the shots this fall.

" I think the decision we made was a balanced one, " said Dr. Modlin, the

panel's chair.

Vaccinating every American against the virus without a credible threat of

its widespread release was judged too risky.

The vaccine can cause severe rashes, brain swelling and death, particularly

in people with skin disorders or the AIDS virus. About 300 people would die

from side effects if the whole nation were vaccinated, experts have said.

Pena, a defense policy analyst at the Cato Institute, said the panel

should have chosen nationwide inoculation. He said those at risk for side

effects could choose not to be vaccinated.

" That's the government deciding who gets to live, " Pena said. " They're

willing to allow some number of the public to be exposed to the virus if

it's used as a bioterror weapon. "