U.S. Seeks to Resume Mandatory Anthrax Vaccinations

The U.S. military should be allowed to resume mandatory anthrax vaccinations of its personnel, the Bush administration argued yesterday to a federal appeals court (see GSN, Aug. 2).

A federal judge last year stopped the mandatory program because of problems with the Food and Drug Administration’s approval process for the anthrax vaccine. Six anonymous soldiers had challenged the vaccination program.

Appeals Judge David Tatel asked attorney John Michels, who is representing the six people, why the label of the vaccine, which indicates it is for high-risk individuals, does not apply to military personnel.

Michels said that the government originally restricted use of the vaccine. “Nobody thought this stuff was licensed for inhalation anthrax,” he said.

The Bush administration and plaintiffs have disagreed whether the product was licensed only to protect against anthrax contracted through skin contact.

“'The labeling does not include any limitation,” said Justice Department lawyer Michael Raab (Pete Yost, Associated Press/Boston Globe, Dec. 1).

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