Posted on 06/24/2002 5:36:24 PM PDT by bonesmccoy
Press Statement on
Smallpox, Flu and Tetanus Vaccines for Children
By Louis Z. Cooper, M.D., President, American Academy of Pediatrics
For Release: June 21, 2002
"Yesterday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made several vaccine decisions of importance to all parents. The decisions were based on input from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other specialists in immunization and public health.
Smallpox vaccine is not being recommended for the general public, including infants, children and teenagers. The Academy agrees with the ACIP conclusion that exposing our patients to the severe side effects from the vaccine is not warranted when there is no known immediate danger of a smallpox outbreak. Parents should be aware that smallpox vaccine isn't currently available to any physicians and hasn't been tested yet for use in children. Pediatricians will continue to advise parents on the best ways to keep their children safe and healthy. At this point, smallpox vaccine is not part of the picture.
"On the other hand, the Academy and ACIP are encouraging that flu vaccine be given this year to all healthy children aged 6 to 23 months. This age group has a high likelihood of hospitalization if they get the flu. The vaccine will be offered in October during the start of the flu season.
"The Academy is pleased and relieved to note that the shortage of tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine is now over. The combination vaccine prevents a neurologic disease known as lockjaw and a life-threatening respiratory illness. Pediatricians will now return to the routine immunization schedule for the Td vaccine, which is a booster dose at 11-12 years, and subsequent booster doses every 10 years. Physicians are being encouraged to call patients whose booster doses were deferred because of the shortage.
"Parents should be assured that the Academy and its pediatrician members will continue to provide vaccine recommendations based on absolutely current, scientific evidence. As yesterday's announcement shows, we will only recommend vaccination when the benefits far outweigh any potential risk."
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 55,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
Editor's Note: For parents wanting more information on smallpox, a handout is available on the AAP Web site, www.aap.org and click on "Children, Bioterrorism and Disasters". For other vaccine information, click on "Important Information about Immunizations".
I'm skeptical of that several hundred deaths figure. It is based on old medical experience, plus there is the problem of misdiagnosis when the cause of death is given as such an exceedingly rare event as fatal vaccine reaction. Plus, there may well be several hundred deaths from anti-terrorism training over the next decade or so, and who would really call that a victory for terrorism?
There is a price to liberty. Part of the price is taking reasonable risks. And, although every life is precious, if we value them infinitely, there would be no medical care at all, since virtually all good treatments have potentially lethal side effects even when administered by competent and caring medical professionals. Smallpox vaccine, if given to most Americans, would take a weapon away from the terrorists. No vaccine, and we leave that particular weapon in their hands. Rather than throwing up our hands because 300 will die, I will ask for a quick research effort to get to down to a few dozen. Then go for it. (Gritting my teeth, yes, it should be voluntary. But the President should declare it everyone's patriotic duty to be vaccinated.)
Let me address each comment you make.
It was a close call but I think the CDC made the right choice on this one:
(1) If there is an instance of bioterrorism, they can get the vaccine out in a hurry. It supposedly is still effective within the first few days after exposure.
As a practicing physician in the community, let me respond to this load of malarky. I have already written several articles on this website which outline the scenario of attack.
The "push-packs" will not be used until the initial casualties are identified. Remember how those initial cases of anthax DIED in Florida? Well, the fact is that the initial cases of smallpox and the secondarily infected patients will be guaranteed to suffer illness or perish under a real biological attack. Vaccination after exposure will not prevent all citizens from harm. Vaccination prior to exposure will certainly prevent illness.
Currently, we can not get routine tetanus vaccines from the two companies who make the vaccine to the entire country's populace. Yet, you request that we wait while a non-existant push-pack system "save us"?
What makes you think that some phantom federal agency is prepared with this response? It is inappropriate for the federal gov't to limit delivery of essential medical services. YOU ARE NOT THE PHYSICIAN MAKING THIS DECISION. I AM!
(2) If someone tries to use an altered virus as a bioterror weapon, there's no guarantee that the standard vaccine will protect against it.
Do you have any evidence to support this scenario as an existing and plausible threat? The Soviet Union's stockpile of smallpox was not sufficiently engineered to make this claim stick. You have no data to support your assessment. If you do, I publicly challenge you to post that information so I can review it.
(3) Though the chances of adverse reactions are slim, when you give the vaccine to the entire US population, the estimate is that there would be several hundred deaths. If the bad guys can scare us into inflicting that kind of damage on ourselves, we're letting them win.
There is real faulty logic here. The epidemiologic data which you parrot is based upon old stockpiles and older vaccine production techniques not used today. Even so, I was immunized with that vaccine and have the scar to prove it. I am pleased to have that scar because it means that I will survive an attack. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR CHILDREN WILL NOT! Are you a physician or parent?
We are not requesting mandated vaccination. I am requesting that CDC release anthrax and smallpox immunization for voluntary immunization by those Americans who want it. After all, if this really a free market economy, why is the US government in the position of WITHHOLDING KNOWN and PROVEN VACCINE from the US populace?
RELEASE THE G** D*** VACCINE!!!!
AAP is despicable in their hypocrisy! While they sequester vaccine for their own families and the people on their "smallpox response teams", they leave the entire US citizenry vulnerable to WMD terrorism. This kind of "me-first" thinking smacks of LIBERALISM... just like the BILL CLINTON stooges that they cavort with!
Don't try to blame this public health diaster on minorities. It's really the liberal stooges RUNNING the LIBERAL Clinton Administration who are to blame!
Frankly, compare the number of Israeli dead in the recent bombing attacks. Compare that number of dead to the number of dead from vaccine reactions. Is it really a reasonable expectation to leave the populace vulnerable when we lose that many people to bombs and warfare?
This is war. We are at war.
When will the liberal stooges at AAP and ACIP grow up???
Agreed. The website smacks of ivory tower elitists. They care only for the next government grant to "study" something and publish a report. Getting the vaccines out isn't that hard. Given the typical 2 weeks to develop a usable titer against the antigen used, we need to get on with the process.
The facts are they've stockpiled enough vaccine for everyone if it's needed, but every vaccine, even flu vaccines have side effects. People die if we try to vaccinate a population of 280 million. If we hold off vaccinating, we risk casualties if a bioterrorist attacks. If we vaccinate now, the terrorists forced us to inflict casualties on ourselves.
I am a parent, in my judgement, my government made the right call here.
From AP, June 16. Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia:
"I would not give that [smallpox] vaccine to my children now."
Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief of infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health.
"Fauci...told scientists and health officials the [smallpox] vaccine is one of the least safe around, although clearly a lifesaver if smallpox makes a comeback."
But do understand--you won't make the decision for those who don't want the vaccine.
As a practicing physician in the community,
With all due respect, unless you are an epidemiologist or similar infectious disease specialist, your professional credentials go only so far.
It is inappropriate for the federal gov't to limit delivery of essential medical services. YOU ARE NOT THE PHYSICIAN MAKING THIS DECISION. I AM!
Quite obviously, there are others in the medical profession who don't regard smallpox vaccination as an essential medical service.
Do you have any evidence to support this scenario as an existing and plausible threat? The Soviet Union's stockpile of smallpox was not sufficiently engineered to make this claim stick.
So far as you know, and safe to say that Biopreparat doesn't send a full accounting of its activities to American physicians.
You have no data to support your assessment.
Other than anecdotal evidence to the contrary, neither do you.
If you do, I publicly challenge you to post that information so I can review it.
Right. And you'll also want a pair of E-passes for the rides at USAMRIID?
1. There is insufficient vaccine to protect more than 20,000,000 Americans. Given the spread of contagion after a bio-attack that initially exposes thousands of victims, a "ring" defense strategy is unconvincing. Air travel is so prevalent, that the contagion will spread to various cities easily. You already have evidence of this problem with the unsolved death of Miss Nguyen in NYC. But, you've written off the thousands of citizens anyway.
3. Your assessment on the whereabouts of the "push-packs" is also wrong.
4. Your assessment on the timing of distribution of vaccines is also incorrect.
That's alot of errors in your assessment. Frankly, you've got no data to support your view. I've got more than enough published scientific and medical papers to support my view.
These issues are all secondary to the fact that the ACIP recommendation on smallpox immunization is incorrect. Immediate release of anthrax and smallpox vaccine stores is reasonable. The free market should be permitted to function. If I want immunity, I should be able to buy it.
Only socialistic stooges block known medicines from the consumer.
Is this country so far gone that voluntary vaccination is no longer conceivable?
Even if people wish to refuse the vaccine they will be benefitted by others who voluntarily do so. The vaccinated will slow the progress of the disease and reduce the unvaccinated's probability of exposure.
You don't have to be an MD to figure that out but given the Socialist mentality of most MD's these days, it certainly helps.
I'd hate to be in the bureaucrat's shoes who withheld the vaccine after a smallpox attack.
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