Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Microcap & Penny Stocks : Rat dog micro-cap picks... -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: xcr600 who wrote (10393)	1/28/2003 11:15:38 AM
From: Bucky Katt	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 48461

As far as I can tell after talking to some docs & nurses I know, they think there is more risk in the vaccination.. We all agree the more imminent danger is getting hit by a car being driven by illegal aliens with no insurance, which is what we really need protection from. This whole war thing is getting out of hand. I listened to CNN news crap for 1/2 hour last night, all they could talk about is why the Prez wants to go to war. It is like being brainwashed, so now CNN goes the way of CNBC for me, I won't waste my time by tuning in to that pablum. Of course when the missiles fly then I will want to watch the live Nintendo programming. I don't think it will be as easy as Gulf War I this time around.

To: xcr600 who wrote (10393)	1/30/2003 12:14:16 PM
From: Bucky Katt	Respond to of 48461

Experts Ask Senate for Help with Smallpox Shots WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - The government needs to provide more money and a way to compensate people who are injured by smallpox vaccine side effects if vaccination efforts are to be successful, witnesses told a US Senate subcommittee Wednesday. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) Director Julie Gerberding told the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (news - web sites), and Education that at an estimated cost of $13 per dose, states should have enough money from previous federal bioterrorism preparedness funding to vaccinate up to 450,000 health care workers. Those workers would, in turn, be responsible for a second phase of the effort that could vaccinate as many as 10 million "first responders" to a potential outbreak. But Patrick Libbey of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, said he "respectfully disagreed" with Gerberding's assessment. Because administering the smallpox vaccine involves major preparation and follow-up, "smallpox vaccination is costing localities from $142 to $220 per person, according to preliminary estimates from four large urban public health agencies," he said. Jane Colacecchi of the Iowa Department of Public Health (news - web sites) said that smallpox efforts are already crowding out efforts to prepare for other forms of bioterrorism. "Our priority has been changed from building a system of multi-threat bioterrorism preparedness to preparedness for a single biological agent," she testified. And the money being diverted to smallpox vaccine efforts, she added, is negatively impacting other public health priorities, such as childhood immunizations, flu shots and the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. "Some of these programs may have to be delayed or canceled to meet the needs of the smallpox vaccination program," she testified. Witnesses also complained that the lack of a compensation program for those injured by the vaccine's side effects is slowing the project. "State and federal workers' compensation programs do not provide an adequate safety net" for those who suffer an adverse reaction, testified James August of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). "In a classic Catch-22 situation, one AFSCME local has reported that due to the voluntary nature of the vaccination, medical expenses resulting from a serious injury will not be covered by the workers' compensation program. These same workers have also been informed that their health insurance coverage will not apply because the injury would be considered work-related," August said. Finally, some health facilities have declined to participate in the program, because, they say, the risks associated with the vaccine appear greater than the possibility someone will use smallpox as a weapon. "Due to advances in medical treatment, both the risks and the risk pool have increased dramatically over the last 20 years," said Dr. Louis Bell, of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Because so many of the hospital's patients have compromised immune systems, he said, "we are concerned that the introduction of newly vaccinated health care workers could expose our patients and employees to unnecessary risks."

To: xcr600 who wrote (10393)	2/24/2003 1:23:17 PM
From: Bucky Katt	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 48461

Only 4,200 smallpox vaccinations so far, target was 1/2 million by today!!!! Geewiz, these Administration people are so far off base in their numbers it makes me wonder just what the hell is going on in Washington.??? (obviously not much valid thought) February 24, 2003 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When President Bush issued the call for 500,000 volunteer health care workers to be immunized against smallpox, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson promised to get the job done in 30 days. At Monday's one-month mark, however, the number of people inoculated nationwide is 4,200, a fraction of the target for the first phase of bioterrorism preparations. Although the federal government has shipped 274,000 doses of vaccine to states since the program began Jan. 24, hundreds of hospitals, a half-dozen major unions and even some public health departments have refused to participate. States that are vaccinating volunteers report they have drastically scaled back their original plans. Aside from a few pockets of enthusiasm, most medical professionals remain unconvinced that the threat of a smallpox attack is serious enough to administer a vaccine known for serious side effects.

To: xcr600 who wrote (10393)	3/28/2003 2:15:56 PM
From: Bucky Katt	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 48461

Illinois, New York suspend smallpox vaccinations Actions follow fatal heart attacks of 2 care workers Per our on going smallpox talk, US citizens are starting to get smart, not going to let the govt cram bs down their throats anymore...>> By Jeremy Manier and Peter Gorner Tribune staff reporters March 28, 2003 Health officials in Illinois and New York suspended all smallpox vaccinations Thursday while investigators review the deaths of two health care workers who suffered fatal heart attacks after being immunized. The states moved more quickly than the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where the only recommendation experts gave Thursday morning was that people with a history of heart disease should not get vaccinated against smallpox. Federal officials also are looking at 15 other civilians and military personnel who have had non-fatal heart problems after being immunized. The new problems are the most serious setback yet for the federal smallpox vaccination program, started by the Bush administration to protect a contingent of doctors, nurses and other emergency workers in the event of a biological attack with the deadly virus. The vaccine had not been known to cause heart problems among Americans who were vaccinated as children. But concerns about liability and other known side effects have led many hospitals and counties to opt out of the program, resulting in just 27,000 civilians being vaccinated--far fewer than the 450,000 government planners had projected. Virginia Jorgensen, 57, a nurse from St. Petersburg, Fla., died of a heart attack she suffered 17 days after getting the vaccine. Jorgensen's husband Robert said he had asked his wife, who had a history of heart disease, not to take the vaccine. "She was in the first group to volunteer," Jorgensen said. "I tried to talk her out of it, but she said `No way.'" The CDC has not changed its smallpox vaccination plans in response to Thursday's action by the states. Smallpox program officials will meet with the agency's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Friday to discuss how vaccine clinics should screen for heart patients, said CDC spokesman Curtis Allen. "The states are obviously concerned," Allen said. "We're trying to provide guidance as quickly as possible. There may be states that are uncomfortable going forward until this is resolved." An independent panel of experts from the Institute of Medicine released a report on the vaccination campaign on Thursday recommending that the CDC proceed with care, possibly including a temporary halt to assess the vaccine's safety. "What we're saying is what we have said all along--is that a pause would be useful," said committee chairman Dr. Brian Strom, a professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The CDC on Wednesday said it was recommending that people diagnosed with heart disease not be vaccinated until its investigation was completed. The agency said it was taking the action after receiving "several reports of heart-related problems" among the volunteers vaccinated in the first phase of the program. The seven cases that prompted Wednesday's precautionary action included three cases of myocardial infarction (heart attacks) two of whom have died; two cases of angina (chest pain); and two cases of myopericarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle or the sac surrounding the heart.) "Myocarditis is usually caused by a virus. The smallpox vaccine is a live virus, so this is a side effect you might expect," said Dr. David Faxon, chief of cardiology at the University of Chicago Medical Center. "But there is no direct correlation to a heart attack, except if you have pre-existing heart disease. That's bad because the two conditions will aggravate each other." Cases of heart inflammation following smallpox vaccinations were reported in Europe in the 1960s and 1970s, the CDC said. However, the strain of vaccine used in the U.S. is different and had not been associated with any heart problems. Illinois public health officials said they would stop administering the vaccine until at least April 7. "We're concerned about the safety of those who volunteer and want to make sure they're informed," said Tammy Leonard, of the Illinois Department of Public Health. So far, the state has vaccinated only 116 people. Additionally, about 30 people have been vaccinated in Chicago, where the smallpox program is run separately from the state's. City health officials said they have halted vaccinations but hope to begin again next week. The possible link between the smallpox vaccine and reported heart problems remains unclear. Some patients suffered inflammation that seemed related to the vaccine, while others had heart attacks that may simply have been caused by the history of heart problems, said Dr. Walter Orenstein, head of the CDC's immunization program. "We are working to try to maintain this program ... (but) the issue of women is very important," he acknowledged Thursday. "Women are not only disproportionately represented in the cases. They're disproportionately represented in the vaccinees. About two-third of the vaccinees are women and women make up a larger proportion of the health care worker task force." Despite such questions, Orenstein said the CDC wanted the program to continue. "We would not recommend a pause (in vaccinations) because of the concern about the need to get prepared, particularly with other events in the world at this moment," Orenstein said. chicagotribune.com

To: xcr600 who wrote (10393)	12/22/2003 6:34:49 PM
From: Bucky Katt	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 48461

Forced vaccination update> WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon must stop forcing servicemen and women to take the anthrax vaccination against their will, unless President Bush signs a special order, a judge ruled Monday. Millions of shots have been given and hundreds of service members have been punished for refusing them since the mandatory vaccinations started in 1998. The judge ruled that the anthrax vaccinations fell under a 1998 law prohibiting the use of certain experimental drugs unless people being given the drug consent or the president waives the consent requirement. Congress passed the law following fears that the use of such drugs may have led to unexplained illnesses among veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War that have come to be known as Gulf War Syndrome. "The women and men of our armed forces put their lives on the line every day to preserve and safeguard the freedoms that all Americans cherish and enjoy," said Judge Emmet G. Sullivan of the United States District Court in Washington. "Absent an informed consent or presidential waiver, the United States cannot demand that members of the armed forces also serve as guinea pigs for experimental drugs," Sullivan said. The Pentagon had no immediate comment. Sullivan rejected the government concern that military discipline would be harmed if courts intervene between soldiers and their military superiors. Believing Iraq and other nations had produced anthrax weapons, former Secretary of Defense William Cohen in 1997 ordered the armed forces immunized. Shots started in 1998 for soldiers in areas believed to present the highest risk of infection - the Persian Gulf, then Korea.