Army Surg. Gen. policy letter (10 Feb 04)
responding to death of Rachel Lacy
FORWARDED Comment
COMMENT: This is a great memo (link below) -- except that few
military physicians are likely to ever see it.
The question is why this memo was by the Army Surgeon General only to
Army medical commanders, when it should have been a policy letter sent
by the Asst Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Dr Winkenwerder, to
every military physician in all four Services -- not just the Army?
Is Dr. Winkenwerder -- a political appointee -- now trying to avoid
responsibility for the deaths attributed to his own policies on
mandatory anthrax and smallpox immunization without informed consent?
TITLE:
Learning From Adverse Events After Vaccination -
ACTION MEMORANDUM
(10 Feb 04)
http://www.anthrax.osd.mil/media/pdf/LearningfromAdverse.pdf
COMMENTS: This is the first time the Pentagon medical leadership
has:
1) Advertised the existence of the so-called Vaccine Healthcare Centers
(at Walter Reed and several other locations) to medical commanders in
the field.
2) Instructed them to advertise the internet location of DoD's Clinical
Guidelines for Managing Adverse Events After Vaccination -- and that
these have been modified to include smallpox vaccine adverse reactions
3) Instructed medical commanders in the field to seek second opinions.
4) Told medical commanders in the field to consider autoimmune disorders
for post vaccination illnesses that do not respond to antibiotics.
5) Told medical commanders to be particularly alert for fever, chest
symptoms, and pleural or pericardial inflammation
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EARLIER DoD POLICIES ON VACCINATION
Policy on Clinical Issues Related to the Anthrax Vaccination
(06 Aug 02)
http://www.anthrax.osd.mil/media/pdf/ClinicalIssues.pdf
Administrative and Clinical Execution Guidance and Reintroduction of
the Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program (AVIP)
(06 Aug 02)
http://www.anthrax.osd.mil/media/pdf/ExeGuidance.pdf
|