| Ilena Rose 2004-10-29, 7:16 pm |
| Judge Halts Forcing of Anthrax Shots
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October 28, 2004
Judge Halts Forcing of Anthrax Shots
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Note: Rumsfeld sounds like the Pharma Seller he has been since he
headed Searle Pharmaceuticals.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 - A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Defense
Department to stop requiring members of the armed forces to be
vaccinated against anthrax without their consent.
The ruling, by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan of the district court in
Washington, found that the Food and Drug Administration had not
followed its own procedures, which require it to seek public comment
on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.
A lawyer for the six unnamed plaintiffs, Mark S. Zaid of Washington,
said, "It validates what we've been saying for six years, that this
vaccination program was illegal and ill conceived from Day 1."
About 1.2 million Americans have been given the anthrax vaccine since
1998, a Defense Department spokesman said Wednesday. But the vaccine
has been the subject of debate concerning its effectiveness against
the deadly inhalational form of anthrax and the contention that it
produces severe side effects in some people. Mr. Zaid estimated that
since 1999 more than 500 service members had refused the vaccine and
been disciplined by being discharged from the military, fined or
jailed.
In response to the ruling, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld
ordered a "pause" in anthrax vaccinations. In a statement, Mr.
Rumsfeld said the department "remains convinced" that the vaccination
program "complies with all legal requirement and that the anthrax
vaccine is safe and effective."
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