Possible study of anthrax vaccine’s effectiveness in children stirs debate

The Washington Post ^ | October 24 | Rob Stein

[Smokin' Joe]

The Obama administration is wrestling with the thorny question of whether scientists should inject healthy children with the anthrax vaccine to see whether the shots would safely protect them against a bioterrorism attack.

The other option is to wait until an attack happens and then try to gather data from children whose parents agree to inoculate them in the face of an actual threat.

(more at link)

[Smokin' Joe]

An earlier thread about this (not my post) was pulled, I figured folks might want to know.

[Smokin' Joe]

ping...

[metmom]

Absolutely.

This should be seen, especially since anything the government thinks up to protect us soon becomes mandatory.

[Sacajaweau]

Penicillin usually does the trick. They used cipro on our politicians because it was a higher grade of antibiotic.

[Smokin' Joe]

For those who are allergic, Penicillin won't help much. But as you said, Cipro remains an alternative.

THis administration sure likes its vaccines...

[DJ MacWoW]

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[Domestic Church]

I seem to recall reading something Bill Gates said about using vaccines to further population control. I guess if they kill off a certain percentage of kids by the vaccine itself and then another certain percentage of the population by exposure to anthrax they have succeeded.

[Myrddin]

My son was forced to take anthrax vaccine as part of his "duties" in the Marines. It set off a horrible gum infection that bordered on life threatening. Not something you want forced on your children. Doing it to active duty military who "might" be in the line of fire in upcoming combat is potentially "defensible". There may have been "other" inoculations going on that weren't disclosed in my son's case.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Jewbacca]

The vaccine use by US troops was a veternary vaccine produced by BioPort of Lansing, Mich. The FDA halted vaccine production at the plant about a decade ago because of improper manufacturing practices.

They did this as an emergy because Saddam had large quantaties of anthax -— somewhere. And, if inclined, could have used them.

Shortly after the Gulf War, the IDF developed a much more effective vaccine that has been tested not by exposing people to anthrax, but checking for antrhax anti-bodied in the blood.

I’ve taken it; it’s fine. 3 shots and then every three year boosters.

I presume the USA would copy the Israeli vaccine.

[Myrddin]

What was used on my son occurred between the end of boot camp in Nov 2001 and his deployment to Iraq/Kuwait in April 2003. Presumably, that would be the "improved" version you suggest. Actual experience says otherwise.

[Jewbacca]

I don’t know; I have no idea if our vaccine was exported.

We’ve stockpiled enough for our little country at $2.75/shot.

[TheOldLady]

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