ANTHRAX AND THE VACCINE

October 1999
		Which is worse -- a deadly disease, or the vaccine that guards against it? Experts answer your questions.

Forum Introduction. Who in the military must take the vaccine? Is Anthrax a national health problem? What are the side effects? Who is at risk for side effects? What company makes the vaccine? Is the vaccine approved by the FDA? Is there a medical resource on the topic?.     Oct. 21, 1999: The growing controversy over the Anthrax vaccine. Jan. 7, 1997: Gulf War Syndrome Update. Nov. 7, 1996: Chemical weapons debate. Sept. 11, 1996: Chemical weapons vote. Browse the NewsHour's coverage of defense and health.       Anthrax, from the Secretary of Defense Anthrax Vaccine Web site Centers for Disease Control and Prevention American Gulf War Veterans Association Arnot Ogden Medical Center Anthrax Links and Information: Created by opponents of the vaccine	Christine Sauter of Diamondhead,MS asks: I applaud our military forces for facing untold dangers to maintain our freedom and peace. May I ask does anthrax pose a national health problem? Dr. Meryl Nass responds: In my opinion, anthrax vaccine is causing a public health crisis. A very high percentage of recipients are reporting similar chronic health problems after vaccination, which resemble the Gulf War Syndrome constellation of symptoms: fatigue, memory loss, headaches, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbance, muscle and joint pains, rashes and other problems. At Dover Air Force Base alone, 75 people, or 7% of the 1100 servicemembers who have been vaccinated, report chronic health problems. Many people are afraid to step forward to seek medical care, because they have seen their colleagues' concerns dismissed as due to depression or stress. They also fear that they could lose their jobs, as a number of the pilots and airmen at Dover are now on DNIF (duties not including flying) status because of undiagnosed illnesses that began after vaccination. Is anthrax (the disease) a national health problem? I don't believe it is. There is less than one recorded case per year in the US. Anthrax has been used as a biological weapon since the the 1930s (by Japan in China) and possibly before. It was used against cattle belonging to blacks in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1979 during their civil war. Despite being relatively easy to make and use, there have been only a handful of documented uses this century. It is not a good battlefield weapon, and is highly dependent on weather conditions. The threat of nuclear retaliation has protected us for decades and should continue to prevent its use by a nation state. Lt. Col. Randy Randolf responds: Animals and people can get anthrax disease. Anthrax is most commonly found in agricultural regions where goats, sheep, cattle or other plant-eating animals have not been vaccinated. When anthrax infects humans, it is usually due to an occupational exposure to infected animals or their products, especially hides, hair, wool, bones or bone products. Less commonly, humans can be infected by ingesting undercooked, contaminated meat. Anthrax is found around the globe. It is more often a risk in countries that do not vaccinate their livestock, or that have substandard or ineffective public-health programs. Anthrax, as a naturally occurring disease, has all but been eradicated within the United States. For nearly 30 years at-risk veterinarians, lab workers, and wool mill workers have effectively been using the FDA approved anthrax vaccine. During the 1990s, countries hostile to the United States increased their capability to weaponize and deliver anthrax. Terrorist organizations sympathetic to our potential adversaries have become more active. Additionally, advancement in weapon delivery systems increased the capability of many countries that previously did not possess the technology to pose a serious threat. These factors led to the decision to protect the force with anthrax vaccine.