Anthrax vaccine treatment funding remains uncertain

[The Straight Story]

Anthrax vaccine treatment funding remains uncertain
By David Ruppe, Global Security Newswire


A Senate effort to ensure full funding of special U.S. military centers for treating soldiers suffering side effects from anthrax and other vaccinations failed last week, leaving open the question of whether the clinics will be fully funded in this fiscal year.

Senate leaders negotiated away an amendment to the supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal 2005 that would have provided $6 million for four regional Vaccine Healthcare Centers in the United States that offer treatment and advice on rare but serious side effects from the vaccine.

The Senate instead included a nonbinding statement of support for full funding in the bill, which was approved Thursday.

The Army earlier this year said it would transfer $5.7 million to the centers from another account, but Senator Joseph Biden (D-Del.) in a speech Wednesday on the Senate floor expressed concern that the absence of confirmed funding could hurt personnel in other military services.





http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0405/042505gsn1.htm