Kesher Talk

Bring on the smallpox vaccine: Some people scoffed when I advocated allowing for public smallpox vaccinations (see my TCS column and later article in the Record), but further evidence of threat came up today. Al Qaeda, North Korea, and Iraq probably all have stockpiles of smallpox. The Washington Post reports, "A Bush administration intelligence review has concluded that four nations -- including Iraq and North Korea -- possess covert stocks of the smallpox pathogen, according to two officials who received classified briefings. Records and operations manuals captured this year in Afghanistan and elsewhere, they said, also disclosed that Osama bin Laden devoted money and personnel to pursue smallpox, among other biological weapons."

Ross Silverman (who differs with me on public vaccination) focuses on the right to know: "Apparently, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was left out in the cold when it was asked to make its recommendations."

In related news, public health officials are wrangling with what to do about vaccinating children (I am against it). And the Post also has a story on the British firm Acambis, which has been contracted to produce more smallpox vaccine for the U.S. government.

posted by Howard @ 11/05/2002 03:55:20 PM