|
AIDS Treatment News
January 21, 2003: The first phase of voluntary civilian
smallpox vaccinations -- for about 500,000 persons who will
serve in first-response teams in case of a smallpox attack
-- is expected to start in a few days; later, "phase II" will recommend
voluntary vaccination for up to 10,000,000
healthcare workers and others.
On January 17 the prestigious Institute of Medicine released a number of recommendations for changes in the program. The IOM report, which had been requested by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is available at http://nationalacademies.org/, along with a press release summarizing important concerns and recommendations. People with HIV must not be vaccinated against smallpox (unless there is a smallpox attack, in which case the risks and benefits would have to be reconsidered -- or unless a safer vaccine is developed, which will take years). Many others should not be vaccinated as well. In fact, about 30% of the U.S. population is believed to have one or more contraindications, and should not be vaccinated. And since this vaccine contains a live virus, persons with HIV or other contraindications need to avoid close contact (especially household contact) with those who have been vaccinated recently, probably for two to three weeks. Here are some of the concerns reflected in the IOM report that our readers should know about:
But in cases of adverse reactions where there is no negligence, currently each state is being left to decide about compensation, if any. The IOM report recommends that the CDC try to "clarify each state's workers compensation program's position on coverage for smallpox vaccine-related injuries and illnesses for workers covered under their programs" -- and in other ways to quickly resolve the compensation problem. [In our view, the compensation issue shows a serious corruption in modern U.S. society -- that governments and corporations use their power to wash their hands of a public expense and leave it to those least able to pay, in this case the individuals who become ill from adverse reactions. The cost of adverse reactions in this Federal program is clearly a Federal responsibility. We do not need 50 different state systems of rules and litigations, designed under the pressure of the worst state budget crisis in 50 years. Private insurance also may find ways to evade responsibility, under "acts of war" or other clauses. Congress and the president can fix this problem, perhaps by amending the Homeland Security Act to deal with non- negligent vaccine injuries as well as negligent ones.]
Note: Healthcare Workers Vaccination, HIV Testing and Disclosure On January 15 Lambda Legal, AmFAR, and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association issued a joint statement on HIV testing and disclosure during the vaccination program. It is available at: http://www.thebody.com/lambda/smallpox_vaccine.html AIDS Treatment News Published twice monthly Subscription and Editorial Office: 1233 Locust St., 5th floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 800/TREAT-1-2 toll-free email: aidsnews@critpath.org useful links: http://www.aidsnews.org/ Editor and Publisher: John S. James Associate Editor: Tadd T. Tobias Statement of Purpose: AIDS Treatment News reports on experimental and standard treatments, especially those available now. We interview physicians, scientists, other health professionals, and persons with AIDS or HIV; we also collect information from meetings and conferences, medical journals, and computer databases. Long-term survivors have usually tried many different treatments, and found combinations that work for them. AIDS Treatment News does not recommend particular therapies, but seeks to increase the options available. AIDS Treatment News is published 24 times per year, on the first and third Friday of every month, and print copies are sent by first class mail. Email is available (see below). Back issues are available at http://www.aidsnews.org/ To subscribe, you can call 800-TREAT-1-2 or 415-255-0588: |