Posted on 09/26/2002 1:48:35 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
The federal government's plan to withhold the smallpox vaccine until after an outbreak is woefully inadequate and would most likely lead to chaos and thousands of preventable deaths, according to a prominent organization of physicians.
The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons has released a five-prong defense plan calling for voluntary advance immunizations. The organization urges local officials to develop an aggressive strategy to stockpile medical supplies, monitor public places and refine reporting and deployment systems.
"The CDC must be in deep denial,” said Jane M. Orient, M.D., executive director of AAPS as well as Doctors for Disaster Preparedness.
"They may have elaborate paper plans to provide for parking and bathroom facilities at mass immunization sites. But these plans will be too little, too late, even if they don’t collapse completely in a crisis. Thousands will die.”
The organization advises five immediate steps:
Make immunizations available, with full disclosure and informed consent, to those who want them. Medical workers, frequent travelers, or people who work in crowded areas or high-rise buildings are among those at risk of early exposure.
Install high-tech devices, such as electronic noses, in public places such as airports and subways to detect signs of immune system activation in people who are exposed but not yet sick. Allocate $20 million for development and clinical trials of promising anti-viral agents.
Stockpile anti-virals now being used to treat AIDS complications and approve emergency off-label use in the event of a smallpox outbreak.
Disperse vaccines, drugs, supplies and laboratory equipment to local authorities. Total reliance on a centralized system could be disastrous. The CDC says the vaccine is too dangerous for the general public. "This is a red herring. Children are routinely required to take vaccines against diseases much less serious than smallpox despite comparable side effects,” said Dr. Orient.
She calls the government "two-faced” about vaccine reactions. With voluntary vaccines before a crisis, it is much easier to screen out those who are at high risk of complications and get them to people who are more likely to be exposed, she says.
Also, people who have been inoculated should have as little contact as possible with those especially vulnerable to infection, she says. That would be impossible during a crisis.
"The CDC plan is overly optimistic. Their ‘ring immunization’ plan is outdated in an age of bioterrorism,” said Dr. Orient.
In the days when "ring immunization” was effectively used, an outbreak consisted of a few cases in a population that already had a high degree of immunity. Now every American is susceptible.
AAPS has been outspoken in opposing mandatory vaccines. "We don’t make these recommendations lightly,” Dr. Orient said. "Voluntarily screen and vaccinate now, or answer for countless preventable deaths later.”
Say what? Does such a device exist?
What happens if it detects someone? Do you immediately arrest them and wrap them in a plastic bubble and move them to a detention camp?
What is being suggested here?
Then, they need to tell Wyeth Pharmaceuticals to either ship the vaccine or turn over the vaccine to Aventis, Merck, or GlaxoSmithKline. If Wyeth won't ship, other companies will.
The lack of SP vaccine in our hands is testimony to the poor leadership of Bill Clinton. After all, their administration had eight years to correct the problem and they didn't do it. Bush 43 has had one year to address this issue. As more time elapses without the vaccines, physicians will lose confidence in the Administration's planning.
PS I have no problem with the gov't forcing vaccinations. But preventing them?
Either we need to prepare for an outbreak or we don't. I thought the reason the vaccine was tucked away was because the potential of the disease outbreak had been eradicated. If the disease is back, bring back the vaccine!!!!
If the Feds would *stop* intervening we might have the freedom to buy tetanus or smallpox vaccines today.
Drug warriors believe a person's body is first and foremost Federal property. No substances may be introduced into it without the government's approval.
PS I have no problem with the gov't forcing vaccinations. But preventing them?
Well, in that case you have something in common with the Drug Warriors. People *will* die if we vaccinate. If the vaccinations are forced upon the people, the feds will be responsible for the murder of a small number of Americans.
Why not make it voluntary or has that concept been completely forgotten in modern Amerika.
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