HHS launches smallpox website, -and- Two Hospitals Refuse To Provide Smallpox Vaccine to Workers

[CAL/AAEM News Service]

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AHA NEWS NOW www.ahanews.com

December 16, 2002

1) HHS launches smallpox website

The Department of Health and Human Services has launched a new Web site(<http://www.smallpox.gov>) that answers questions about smallpox and the president's vaccination plan. HHS recommends the site for those who will be receiving the smallpox vaccination or are debating getting the inoculation. In a press release, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said, "This is a complicated issue that involves a careful balance between the possibility that smallpox might actually be released at some time by terrorists ... and we need to have answers easily available."

Copyright 2002 by the American Hospital Association. All rights reserved. For republication rights, contact Craig Webb. AHA News is a registered trademark of the American Hospital Association. The opinions expressed in AHA News Now are not necessarily those of the American Hospital Association.

==========================================

From: California Healthline

Two Hospitals Refuse To Provide Smallpox Vaccine to Workers 

12/18/2002 





Officials at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta and Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., yesterday said they would not adhere to President Bush's request to vaccinate front-line medical workers against smallpox, saying the risks associated with the vaccine outweigh the "remote threat" of a biological attack with the virus, the Washington Post reports. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Emory Medical Center in Atlanta and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics also are considering not vaccinating their staffs. The hospitals' refusal to vaccinate marks the first "high-profile" opposition from the medical community to Bush's smallpox vaccination plan, the Post reports (Connolly, Washington Post, 12/18). As part of the plan, the government in late January will begin to vaccinate about 439,000 civilian emergency workers not at high risk for side effects as part of a 30-day voluntary program. In the second phase of the vaccination plan, which will take betwee!
n 45 and 90 days, federal and state governments will move to vaccinate about 10 million health care workers; government officials estimate that about half of the workers will decide to receive the vaccine (California Healthline, 12/16). 



Need More Evidence 

The Post reports that many physicians do not think the Bush administration has made a compelling argument for vaccinating workers against a disease that has not been seen since 1980 (Washington Post, 12/18). Dr. Carlos del Rio, chief of medicine at Grady Memorial, said the risk of vaccinating medical workers cannot be justified yet in a hospital full of sick patients. "I don't want recently vaccinated people running around our clinics and our wards. Even though the risk is small, there will be a risk of the vaccine virus being disseminated to somebody," he said. Hospitals also are concerned about the unresolved issues of liability for vaccine injury and whether workers' compensation would pay for vaccination-related injuries. However, Grady officials said they will reevaluate their decision should the risk of a smallpox attack increase (McKenna, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 12/17). CDC Director Julie Gerberding said, "We understand not all hospitals will choose to participa!
te." However, she said she expects the "vast majority" of facilities will vaccinate their staff (Washington Post, 12/18). 



A Safer Vaccine? 

In related news, Brisbane, Calif.-based VaxGen has announced plans to develop a vaccine that may be safer than the current vaccine in the U.S. stockpile, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The company has signed an agreement with Japan's Chemo-Sero-Therapeutic Institute for the rights to a vaccine that was tested in Japanese children in the 1970s (Jacobs, San Jose Mercury News, 12/17). The agreement will allow VaxGen to produce the vaccine, which caused "no serious side effects" during testing (Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal, 12/18). When compared to conventional smallpox vaccine, the Japanese vaccine produced fewer instances of fever and redness at the site of injection. However, the vaccine did not produce the "characteristic scab," which indicates effectiveness, in more than 90% of the children. While some experts say there is insufficient evidence to indicate the Japanese vaccine is safe and effective, VaxGen officials said they plan to conduct clinical trials next year a!
nd hope to win FDA approval by 2004. Once approved, VaxGen plans to market the vaccine commercially to consumers who want protection against smallpox but fear the existing vaccine. It is not clear if the government would purchase any of the vaccine. Like the conventional inoculation, the vaccine uses a live virus and therefore would not be recommended to those with compromised immune systems (Pollack, New York Times, 12/18). The FDA has said it will expedite the review process for the vaccine, the AP/Mercury News reports (AP/San Jose Mercury News, 12/17). 


Brian Potts
Managing Editor, CAL/AAEM News Service
MS-IV, UC Irvine
MD/MBA candidate
pottsbri@yahoo.com


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<P><FONT size=2>December 16, 2002</P>
<P>1) HHS launches smallpox website</P>
<P>The Department of Health and Human Services has launched a new Web site(&lt;</FONT><A href="http://www.smallpox.gov/"><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>http://www.smallpox.gov</U></FONT></A><FONT size=2>&gt;) that answers questions about smallpox and the president's vaccination plan. HHS recommends the site for those who will be receiving the smallpox vaccination or are debating getting the inoculation. In a press release, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said, "This is a complicated issue that involves a careful balance between the possibility that smallpox might actually be released at some time by terrorists ... and we need to have answers easily available."</P>
<P>Copyright 2002 by the American Hospital Association. All rights reserved. For republication rights, contact Craig Webb. AHA News is a registered trademark of the American Hospital Association. The opinions expressed in AHA News Now are not necessarily those of the American Hospital Association.</P></FONT>
<P>==========================================</P>
<P>From: California Healthline</P>
<P>Two Hospitals Refuse To Provide Smallpox Vaccine to Workers </P>
<P>12/18/2002 </P>
<P></P>
<P></P>
<P>Officials at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta and Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., yesterday said they would not adhere to President Bush's request to vaccinate front-line medical workers against smallpox, saying the risks associated with the vaccine outweigh the "remote threat" of a biological attack with the virus, the Washington Post reports. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Emory Medical Center in Atlanta and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics also are considering not vaccinating their staffs. The hospitals' refusal to vaccinate marks the first "high-profile" opposition from the medical community to Bush's smallpox vaccination plan, the Post reports (Connolly, Washington Post, 12/18). As part of the plan, the government in late January will begin to vaccinate about 439,000 civilian emergency workers not at high risk for side effects as part of a 30-day voluntary program. In the second phase of the vaccination plan, which will take bet!
ween 45 and 90 days, federal and state governments will move to vaccinate about 10 million health care workers; government officials estimate that about half of the workers will decide to receive the vaccine (California Healthline, 12/16). </P>
<P></P>
<P>Need More Evidence </P>
<P>The Post reports that many physicians do not think the Bush administration has made a compelling argument for vaccinating workers against a disease that has not been seen since 1980 (Washington Post, 12/18). Dr. Carlos del Rio, chief of medicine at Grady Memorial, said the risk of vaccinating medical workers cannot be justified yet in a hospital full of sick patients. "I don't want recently vaccinated people running around our clinics and our wards. Even though the risk is small, there will be a risk of the vaccine virus being disseminated to somebody," he said. Hospitals also are concerned about the unresolved issues of liability for vaccine injury and whether workers' compensation would pay for vaccination-related injuries. However, Grady officials said they will reevaluate their decision should the risk of a smallpox attack increase (McKenna, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 12/17). CDC Director Julie Gerberding said, "We understand not all hospitals will choose to partic!
ipate." However, she said she expects the "vast majority" of facilities will vaccinate their staff (Washington Post, 12/18). </P>
<P></P>
<P>A Safer Vaccine? </P>
<P>In related news, Brisbane, Calif.-based VaxGen has announced plans to develop a vaccine that may be safer than the current vaccine in the U.S. stockpile, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The company has signed an agreement with Japan's Chemo-Sero-Therapeutic Institute for the rights to a vaccine that was tested in Japanese children in the 1970s (Jacobs, San Jose Mercury News, 12/17). The agreement will allow VaxGen to produce the vaccine, which caused "no serious side effects" during testing (Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal, 12/18). When compared to conventional smallpox vaccine, the Japanese vaccine produced fewer instances of fever and redness at the site of injection. However, the vaccine did not produce the "characteristic scab," which indicates effectiveness, in more than 90% of the children. While some experts say there is insufficient evidence to indicate the Japanese vaccine is safe and effective, VaxGen officials said they plan to conduct clinical trials next yea!
r and hope to win FDA approval by 2004. Once approved, VaxGen plans to market the vaccine commercially to consumers who want protection against smallpox but fear the existing vaccine. It is not clear if the government would purchase any of the vaccine. Like the conventional inoculation, the vaccine uses a live virus and therefore would not be recommended to those with compromised immune systems (Pollack, New York Times, 12/18). The FDA has said it will expedite the review process for the vaccine, the AP/Mercury News reports (AP/San Jose Mercury News, 12/17). </P></FONT><BR><BR>Brian Potts<br>Managing Editor, CAL/AAEM News Service<br>MS-IV, UC Irvine<br>MD/MBA candidate<br>pottsbri@yahoo.com<p><br><hr size=1>Do you Yahoo!?<br>
<a href="http://rd.yahoo.com/mail/mailsig/*http://mailplus.yahoo.com">Yahoo! Mail Plus</a> - Powerful. Affordable. <a href="http://rd.yahoo.com/mail/mailsig/*http://mailplus.yahoo.com">Sign up now</a>
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