Advisory Panel Moots Testing Anthrax Vaccine in Children

A government advisory panel in the United States has recommended that the federal government conduct a controversial study testing the effectiveness of anthrax vaccine in children but added that ethical issues must be resolved before the test can be conducted.

The National Biodefense Science Board voted to back the recommendation to the Health and Human Services Department of conducting the test in order to identify whether the vaccine is effective and safe among children.

Anthrax - Bacillus - Symptoms - Diagnosis - Treatment - FAQs
Anthrax is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis and spreads when the anthrax spores are inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with the skin lesion on a host.

The panel said that since the vaccine will be used on a large number of children in the event of a bioterrorist attack, it is prudent to test whether the vaccine is safe to be administered to the children.

Even as the panel strongly backed the recommendation, a number of experts are claiming that such a test would be unethical since it would require exposing healthy children to anthrax. The criticism was acknowledged by the panel which said that such issues should be resolved before the government decides to conduct the test.

Source-Medindia

Bioterrorism-an interactive analysis
Interactive section of Medindia gives general the analysed information about bioterrorism

Rare Anthrax Case in Minnesota Triggers Terrorist Act Scare
The FBI stepped in briefly as Minnesota health officials are investigating a rare case of anthrax inhalation linked to exposure to the dreaded bacteria in the natural environment.