Military

DATE=11/15/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BIOTERRORISM (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-283208

BYLINE=DAVID McALARY

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

INTERNET=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: With thousands of Americans taking medication to prevent anthrax, several senators have introduced legislation to strengthen the U-S ability to fight bioterrorism. David McAlary reports that the measure focuses on preparedness.

TEXT: The bipartisan Senate measure would commit three-and-a-quarter billion dollars over the next year to protect against bioterrorist threats. That is one-third of what the bill's sponsors had wanted to spend, but more than twice as much money as President Bush asked for in the wake of the anthrax outbreak that has killed four people. News reports indicate Mr. Bush would accept the compromise amount and that the House of Representatives will soon act on a similar measure.

Part of the money in the Senate version would be used to boost the ability of state and local authorities to prevent and detect bioterrorist attacks and increase the budget of the federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Food inspections would also be expanded.

Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy says the money would also go toward building a reserve of vaccines, antibiotics, and other medical supplies.

/// KENNEDY ACT ///

We have a strategic petroleum reserve to safeguard our energy ends in times of crisis. We need a strategic pharmaceutical reserve as well to ensure that we have the medicines and the vaccines stockpiled to respond to bioterrorist attacks. Our legislation establishes this reserve and authorizes the development of sufficient smallpox and other vaccines to meet the needs of the entire U-S population.

/// END ACT ///

Smallpox is considered a leading bioterrorist threat, but national health authorities say the United States has only 15 million smallpox vaccine doses in storage for a population of about 276 million. They are overseeing studies to determine if the doses can be diluted to expand coverage to up to 75 million people and still be effective.

In the meantime, U-S Health Secretary Tommy Thompson is negotiating a 40 million-dollar contract with a pharmaceutical company for 300 million new doses by early next year. In a House of Representatives hearing Thursday, he emotionally defended his agency against lawmakers' criticism that the process is moving too slowly.

/// THOMPSON ACT ///

You don't realize how hard we're working to get this thing done and how far we've accelerated this. In fact, in the history of the Department, no contract has moved as rapidly as the smallpox [contract]. We want to be able to respond. I want to tell you we are not letting any stone unturned to get it done as expeditiously and as correctly and as safely as we possibly can.

/// END ACT ///

One of the agencies Mr. Thompson oversees, the Centers for Disease Control, or C-D-C, warns that additional cases of anthrax might occur in the United States, although no new ones have been reported in nearly two weeks and everyone hospitalized for disease has been discharged. The number of cases stands at 22, with four deaths.

The C-D-C says about five-thousand people are on a 60-day antibiotic regimen as a precaution because of exposure to anthrax. It says compliance appears to be good, but fears that some are not completing the recommended 60-day course and could develop infection.

/// REST OPT ///

C-D-C official Julie Gerberding explains.

/// GERBERDING ACT ///

They are still at ongoing risk for developing anthrax if they do not complete their antibiotic therapy. This is such a serious disease that it makes sense to err on the side of completing the full 60 days.

/// END ACT ///

Dr. Gerberding says some people may stop taking anthrax antibiotics because they do not feel ill or because of the drugs' side effects, such as nausea and diarrhea. (SIGNED)

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