Vaccinations military

Vaccines Vaccinia virus is a live poxvirus that can lead to strong cross-protection to smallpox for about five years, plus partial protection for ten or more years. If your are old enough, or have been in military service in recent years, you may have been vaccinated with this vaccine administered by dermal scarification, or intra-dermal jet injection. However, certain persons should NOT receive smallpox vaccine, including persons who are pregnant, persons who underwent a clinical immunosuppresion, persons with eczema, or persons with leukemia or lymphoma. 

The last known naturally occurring case of smallpox occurred in Somalia in 1977. In May 1980, the World Health Assembly certified that the world was free of naturally occurring smallpox. By the 1960s, because of vaccination programs and quarantine regulations, the risk for importation of smallpox into the United States had been reduced. As a result, recommendations for routine smallpox vaccination were rescinded in 1971. In 1976, the recommendation for routine smallpox vaccination of health-care workers was also discontinued. In 1982, the only active licensed producer of vaccinia vaccine in the United States discontinued production for general use, and in 1983, distribution to the civilian population was discontinued. All military personnel continued to be vaccinated, but that practice ceased in 1990. Since January 1982, smallpox vaccination has not been required for international travelers, and International Certificates of Vaccination forms no longer include a space to record smallpox vaccination. 

This second edition features in-depth coverage of actual response techniques and new approaches for coping with critical situations caused by criminal activity, industrial accidents, or even mini-epidemics. Augmenting its coverage of field first aid for response personnel, this edition contains up-to-date tools such as checklists and streamlined procedures for on-scene coordination. It incorporates the latest detection devices, cost/recovery and hazard analyses, diagnostic methods, pretreatments, vaccines, decontamination techniques, antidotes, and medical treatments available. This edition also adds a focused review of the progress and projected developments for military protocols and procedures. 

Epidemics of bacterial meningitis have been described in crowded places such as military institutions and schools. In some countries in Africa ( meningococcal belt ) the incidence of seasonal meningococcal meningitis is so high that meningococcal vaccination is advised. 

Ryan MA, Gumbs GR, Conlin AM, Sevick CJ, Jacobson IG, Snell KJ, Spoone T, Smith TC (2008) Evaluation of preterm births and birth defects in liveborn infants of US military women who received smallpox vaccine. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol 82 533-539... 

This research will interest DoD policymakers involved in research and development, acquisition, and medical use policy related to defense against CBW agents producers of drugs and vaccines for military use, especially for CBW defense FDA officials whose responsibilities have been reordered by the events of September 11, 2001 officials in the Department of Health and Human Services and in the Department of Homeland Security and the interested public. 

This research was sponsored by the Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense and was carried out jointly by RAND s Center for Military Health Policy Research and the Acquisition and Technology Policy Center of the National Defense Research Institute. The latter is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by OSD, the Joint Staff, the unified commands, and the defense agencies in the fulfillment of national security objectives involving the development and acquisition of drugs and biologies, mostly vaccines, for CBW defense. 

DoD has two distinct roles during the acquisition of drugs and biologies for CBW defense purchaser and developer. As purchaser of a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for which a commercial market exists, DoD simply buys what it needs at the market price DoD acquisition of influenza vaccine is a good example of this. However, when the market is limited mainly to military use, even for a drug that is approved by FDA, DoD s role as pur-... 

DoD, then, is a minor customer in a specialized niche market of minimal commercial interest. The needs of homeland security may expand the potential for a dual-use military and civilian market, but that has yet to occur. Public-sector financing may be required, therefore, to a greater extent in the development of CBW drugs and vaccines than for general military health needs. 

However, severe constraints do exist on DoD use of IND drugs and vaccines for CBW defense in military combat. The issue of IND use arose in the Gulf War in the case of pyridostigmine bromide (PB), which was regarded as the most effective pretreatment against exposure to the nerve gas Soman, and pentavalent botulinum toxoid (BT)... 

In December 1997, Secretary of Defense William Cohen announced a departmentwide anthrax immunization program for high-risk military personnel. Implementation began in March 1998. On May 18, 1998, the Secretary authorized the vaccination of all military forces (Cohen, 1998). Almost 2.5 million troop-equivalent doses of vaccine were required to implement the Secretary s decision, much more than had ever been produced by the licensed manufacturer in its entire history. Prior to Desert Storm, the primary vaccine users had been veterinary, laboratory, and industrial workers at risk of infection, for whom an estimated 60,000 doses of Anthrax Vaccine Absorbed (AVA) were distributed between 1974 and 1989, an average of 4,533 doses per year (foellenbeck et al., 2002). During Desert Storm, approximately 150,000 troops received 300,000 doses of AVA, without accurate recording of recipients or adverse reactions. 

Fourth, current DoD strategy captured an insufficient share of the vaccine industrial base because it lacked indemnification and longterm contracts. Weak economic incentives did not attract private pharmaceutical firms to develop military-use vaccines. 

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