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saif · Dec 23, 2004, 06:27 pm

The Project Bio-Shield Act of 2004 was promoted as an essential reform to revolutionize the efficiency of our medical defenses in the crisis of a bio-chemical terrorist attack. In President Bush’s remarks at the signing of this widely supported legislation into law on July 21st he stated, “It sends a message about our direction in the war on terror. We refuse to remain idle while modern technology might be turned against us; we will rally the great promise of American science and innovation to confront the greatest danger of our time.” Penal Law 108-276 (Project Bio-Shield) authorizes for expedited procurement, streamlined personnel appointments, expedited peer review, biomedical countermeasures procurement, smallpox vaccine development for the National Stockpile, and sanction oversight to other relevant issues of bio-defense activities by the Department of Defense. The President stated that “the Food and Drug Administration will be able to permit rapid distribution of promising new drugs and antidotes in the most urgent circumstances.” Which would allow “patients to quickly receive the best available treatments in an emergency.” Unfortunately during his comments he failed to mention how the administration would exploit this Bill to annul a U.S. District Courts ruling that suspended mandatory anthrax vaccinations to U.S. Servicemen and woman. December 10th, Deputy Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz requested permission to resume the vaccination program. Citing the Project Bio-Shield Act, Section Four (b), by “a determination by the Secretary of Defense that there is a military emergency, or a significant potential for a military emergency, involving a heightened risk to United States military forces of attack with a specified biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear agent or agent.” The law provides statutes for the HHS Secretary to declare an emergency permitting the use of non-approved products that include drugs. medical devices and biological products that have not been tested by the FDA. As for Wolfowitz claim of a threat he cites a classified Intelligence assessment published in November observing a greater risk to personnel at Central Command in Iraq as well as those serving in Korea. Since 1998 an estimated 1.2 million military personnel have been subject to anthrax shots. Many were punished or discharged for their refusal to participate in the mandatory requirement finding that it does not protect them from inhaling anthrax. Soldier’s also were concerned over illnesses related to the drug even though the Pentagon contends that the vaccination is safe. This oversight by both the House, Senate and American people, has allowed, once again, the “by any means” determination of this administration to have their way regardless of the safety and concern for our military personnel.

The House version of the bill (H.R. 2122) was passed by a vote of 421-2 on 16 July 2003.
The Senate version of the bill (S. 15) was passed by a vote of 99-0 on 19 May 2004.
The bill (P.L. 108-276) was signed by the President on 21 July 2004.
Statement by the President:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...0040721-2.html

Dieval · Dec 23, 2004, 06:42 pm

And what would you liked to debate?
Maybe you don't agree with the government trying to protect it's citizens and armed forces from bio & chemical agents?

saif · Dec 23, 2004, 06:51 pm

Oct 28, 2004 (CIDRAP News) – The Department of Defense (DoD) has suspended its anthrax vaccination program in response to a federal court ruling that military personnel should not have to accept the shots against their will unless the president orders them to do so.

US District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan of Washington, DC, ruled yesterday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) failed to follow proper procedures in approving use of the anthrax vaccine to prevent inhalational anthrax.

"By refusing to give the American public an opportunity to submit meaningful comments on the anthrax vaccine's classification, the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act," Sullivan wrote in the conclusion of a 41-page opinion.

Asserting that the vaccine amounts to "either a drug unapproved for its intended use or an investigational new drug," Sullivan said the vaccination program is illegal unless the shots are voluntary or the president waives the requirement for informed consent.

"This court will not permit the government to circumvent this requirement," the judge wrote. "The men and women of our armed forces deserve the assurance that the vaccines our government compels them to take into their bodies have been tested by the greatest scrutiny of all—public scrutiny. This is the process the FDA in its expert judgment has outlined, and this is the course this Court shall compel FDA to follow."
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/con...04anthrax.html
See also:
Judge Sullivan's ruling
http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/03-707c.pdf
DoD news release
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/...1027-1447.html

Scribbler1 · Dec 23, 2004, 07:36 pm

This is home state stuff. A number of good airmen lost their positions here at Dover AFB because they had refused these shots and a lot of them have mysterious illnesses to this day. I'll do a little research tonight on this, as it is a fairly recent thing and our paper has given this a LOT of ink.

Technosoul · Dec 24, 2004, 08:43 pm

This law is very dangerous because of our current pocket politics and no one knows if the President is in the pocket of the drug industry or not (who could profit by a single order). Plus we know that they had grave shortages last season (this season?) for common flu shots due to contaminated supplies from England. If that law is any good how come we came up short on those shots? That is to say, so unprepared? That would make me wonder, what is the real motive for this law or was it something hammered out in haste based on fear-shocked thinking - without any real clue as to where they would go with that measure?

But here is my bottom line on the topic. If we are going to have such a law (and we do have it) then it would go to reason that anyone seeking the office of President must first have a degree or be certitifed as being a medical expert on bio-chemicals and diseases. Our current President is has does not have the background in science to make such deteminations and would have to depend upon some pill pusher to tell him what is best for our troops or the rest of our population. Sure he could review reports provided him but does he even have the educational background to comprehend such reports and the terminology used in them? In my opinion and as a self-evident truth - no.

President Bush seems to hate science and so how can we put the power of science in his hands?

Is my opinion wrong? It matters not now, what is done is done.

Technosoul.

Dec 23, 2004, 06:27 pm	#1 (permalink) (top)
saif Sword of Truth Location: Elmira, NY Posts: 225	Hoodwinked - Project Bio-Shield The Project Bio-Shield Act of 2004 was promoted as an essential reform to revolutionize the efficiency of our medical defenses in the crisis of a bio-chemical terrorist attack. In President Bush’s remarks at the signing of this widely supported legislation into law on July 21st he stated, “It sends a message about our direction in the war on terror. We refuse to remain idle while modern technology might be turned against us; we will rally the great promise of American science and innovation to confront the greatest danger of our time.” Penal Law 108-276 (Project Bio-Shield) authorizes for expedited procurement, streamlined personnel appointments, expedited peer review, biomedical countermeasures procurement, smallpox vaccine development for the National Stockpile, and sanction oversight to other relevant issues of bio-defense activities by the Department of Defense. The President stated that “the Food and Drug Administration will be able to permit rapid distribution of promising new drugs and antidotes in the most urgent circumstances.” Which would allow “patients to quickly receive the best available treatments in an emergency.” Unfortunately during his comments he failed to mention how the administration would exploit this Bill to annul a U.S. District Courts ruling that suspended mandatory anthrax vaccinations to U.S. Servicemen and woman. December 10th, Deputy Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz requested permission to resume the vaccination program. Citing the Project Bio-Shield Act, Section Four (b), by “a determination by the Secretary of Defense that there is a military emergency, or a significant potential for a military emergency, involving a heightened risk to United States military forces of attack with a specified biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear agent or agent.” The law provides statutes for the HHS Secretary to declare an emergency permitting the use of non-approved products that include drugs. medical devices and biological products that have not been tested by the FDA. As for Wolfowitz claim of a threat he cites a classified Intelligence assessment published in November observing a greater risk to personnel at Central Command in Iraq as well as those serving in Korea. Since 1998 an estimated 1.2 million military personnel have been subject to anthrax shots. Many were punished or discharged for their refusal to participate in the mandatory requirement finding that it does not protect them from inhaling anthrax. Soldier’s also were concerned over illnesses related to the drug even though the Pentagon contends that the vaccination is safe. This oversight by both the House, Senate and American people, has allowed, once again, the “by any means” determination of this administration to have their way regardless of the safety and concern for our military personnel. The House version of the bill (H.R. 2122) was passed by a vote of 421-2 on 16 July 2003. The Senate version of the bill (S. 15) was passed by a vote of 99-0 on 19 May 2004. The bill (P.L. 108-276) was signed by the President on 21 July 2004. Statement by the President: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...0040721-2.html (Click to expand) Come visit the Evolution of Thought Institute today!

Dec 23, 2004, 06:42 pm	#2 (permalink) (top)
Dieval Right of Center Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 3,009	And what would you liked to debate? Maybe you don't agree with the government trying to protect it's citizens and armed forces from bio & chemical agents? "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." -- Winston Churchill

Dec 23, 2004, 06:51 pm	#3 (permalink) (top)
saif Sword of Truth Location: Elmira, NY Posts: 225	Oct 28, 2004 (CIDRAP News) – The Department of Defense (DoD) has suspended its anthrax vaccination program in response to a federal court ruling that military personnel should not have to accept the shots against their will unless the president orders them to do so. US District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan of Washington, DC, ruled yesterday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) failed to follow proper procedures in approving use of the anthrax vaccine to prevent inhalational anthrax. "By refusing to give the American public an opportunity to submit meaningful comments on the anthrax vaccine's classification, the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act," Sullivan wrote in the conclusion of a 41-page opinion. Asserting that the vaccine amounts to "either a drug unapproved for its intended use or an investigational new drug," Sullivan said the vaccination program is illegal unless the shots are voluntary or the president waives the requirement for informed consent. "This court will not permit the government to circumvent this requirement," the judge wrote. "The men and women of our armed forces deserve the assurance that the vaccines our government compels them to take into their bodies have been tested by the greatest scrutiny of all—public scrutiny. This is the process the FDA in its expert judgment has outlined, and this is the course this Court shall compel FDA to follow." http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/con...04anthrax.html See also: Judge Sullivan's ruling http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/03-707c.pdf DoD news release http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/...1027-1447.html (Click to expand) Come visit the Evolution of Thought Institute today!

Dec 23, 2004, 07:36 pm	#4 (permalink) (top)
Scribbler1 Skeptical Patriot Posts: 7,837	This is home state stuff. A number of good airmen lost their positions here at Dover AFB because they had refused these shots and a lot of them have mysterious illnesses to this day. I'll do a little research tonight on this, as it is a fairly recent thing and our paper has given this a LOT of ink.

Dec 24, 2004, 08:43 pm	#5 (permalink) (top)
Technosoul Volcanic Erupter Posts: 8,936	This law is very dangerous because of our current pocket politics and no one knows if the President is in the pocket of the drug industry or not (who could profit by a single order). Plus we know that they had grave shortages last season (this season?) for common flu shots due to contaminated supplies from England. If that law is any good how come we came up short on those shots? That is to say, so unprepared? That would make me wonder, what is the real motive for this law or was it something hammered out in haste based on fear-shocked thinking - without any real clue as to where they would go with that measure? But here is my bottom line on the topic. If we are going to have such a law (and we do have it) then it would go to reason that anyone seeking the office of President must first have a degree or be certitifed as being a medical expert on bio-chemicals and diseases. Our current President is has does not have the background in science to make such deteminations and would have to depend upon some pill pusher to tell him what is best for our troops or the rest of our population. Sure he could review reports provided him but does he even have the educational background to comprehend such reports and the terminology used in them? In my opinion and as a self-evident truth - no. President Bush seems to hate science and so how can we put the power of science in his hands? Is my opinion wrong? It matters not now, what is done is done. Technosoul.