Increasing Antrhax Stockpiles
Bush Seeks More Funds to Boost Stockpiles of Anthrax Antibiotics
By LAURIE MCGINLEY
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
WASHINGTON -- Amid heightened fears about new anthrax cases, the Bush administration and Congress are moving to sharply increase government purchases of antibiotics and boost funding for health agencies responsible for testing potential biological agents.
The Bush administration plans to ask Congress for more than $1.5 billion in additional funding for bioterrorism initiatives. That is in addition to the $345 million already allocated for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. Of that $1.5 billion, $643 million would go to increasing the nation's stockpiles of antibiotics, including the antianthrax Cipro, and other drugs, said aides to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. The rest would be used to boost bioterrorism preparedness by hospitals, and state and local governments.
The federal government has enough antibiotics to treat 2.2 million people for anthrax for 60 days, which covers the disease's varying incubation period. The goal is to increase the anthrax antibiotics supply to treat 12 million people. The government also wants to increase its emergency stockpiles of other drugs and medical equipment that are stored around the country to quickly respond to local emergencies.
Mr. Thompson reiterated on Fox News Sunday that: "We have no imminent threat. We have a lot of chatter out there, but no imminent threat of a biological or chemical attack." The antibiotic in demand to treat anthrax is Cipro, made by Germany's Bayer AG. A HHS aide said the government has been talking to Bayer about placing an order for the drug, although it hasn't yet done so. The company said it is working overtime to meet the demands of all its customers.
A Bayer plant in Connecticut worked unusual weekend shifts and made an extra shipment to help meet demand, said Karen Dawes, senior vice president for marketing and sales in the U.S. The Bush administration's plans dovetail with proposals made by several lawmakers.
Sen. Max Cleland (D., Ga.) is pushing a "Manhattan-style project" for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is analyzing anthrax samples from several states. "What this second case of anthrax drives home is the incredible need to dramatically upgrade the CDC and its resources as soon as humanly possible," he said. Three years ago, when Mr. Cleland toured the CDC, he said, he was shocked to see scientists working in "World War II era buildings, with leaky roofs, and plastic over their computers to protect them from the rain." He wants the CDC, which has headquarters in his state, to get about $750 million of the $40 billion antiterrorist package.
The struggle for funds in the $40 billion emergency fund is intensifying. When Congress passed the package, it allowed President Bush to spend half, or $20 billion, more or less as he sees fit. But the bill also provided that no less than half the $40 billion would go to disaster recovery and assistance in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, the sites of the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes.
Since then, lawmakers have watched as much of the money has gone to defense needs. Of the $7.1 billion the administration has allocated from its half so far, the Defense Department has gotten about $4.2 billion.
Late last week, administration budget officials proposed another $7 billion for war-related defense needs, as well as $2 billion for chemical and biological weapons defense, and at least $3 billion for air security, border security and increased funds for National Guard services.
This new spending would come from the second half of the $40 billion.
By comparison to defense spending so far, the lead agency for domestic recovery, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, would get about $6 billion, on top of the $2 billion it has already received. That is spurring members of Congress to consider their own plans for appropriating the money.
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