The U.S. Department of Defense has requested an emergency authorization to continue using a controversial anthrax vaccine on troops.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld stopped the anthrax vaccination program after a federal court issued an injunction against mandatory vaccinations in October. The court found the Food and Drug Administration had not followed procedure when it approved the vaccine for use against inhalational anthrax in December 2003.
Though studies found the anthrax vaccine, manufactured by Bioport of Lansing, Mich., to be safe -- at least as safe as other vaccines. Critics, however, take issue with some of the studies and assert the vaccine is the cause of a number of cases of debilitating illness.
There have been three lawsuits to stop the vaccination program and a series of congressional hearings on the issue.
The request to resume the vaccine program was submitted to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson under authority granted to him to under the Bioshield Act. It is not clear when a decision might be made.
© Copyright 2004 by United Press International
