From: "Anthrax Vaccine Network, Inc." To: Subject: Last little web site edition Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2002 10:57 AM This is a Letter to the Editor that I wrote to the San Antonio Express-News in response to the newspaper article I sent you in my web site additions last e-mail. If there's anyway you could add this as a post with that article, I'd sure appreciate it. The paper called yesterday to confirm; it's running in today's paper. Score! (-: Kathy Aug. 19, 2002 To the Editor: Those of us in the anti-anthrax vaccine movement would like to thank Sig Christenson for his well-written August 17th article reporting on last Friday's (Aug. 16) press conference and Lt. Col. Thomas Heemstra's book, "Anthrax: A Deadly Shot in the Dark." However, we would like to correct two errors in the story - errors in no way the fault of Mr. Christenson. He quotes Jim Turner, a spokesman for the Pentagon, as saying that the FDA has approved the anthrax vaccine for use, and that there have been no deaths among those who have received it. Mr. Turner has apparently not read the new label on the vaccine, which specifies the six deaths that have occurred to date, and which specifies that the vaccine is authorized for cutaneous use - skin contact use. It is not authorized now, and never has been authorized, for use against inhalational anthrax. It is, in fact, on file with the FDA as an Investigational New Drug, which by law requires informed consent - something no troop member has ever received. The reaction rate - again, according to the new label - can be as high as 35%, quite a jump over the 0.2% the previous label claimed. The new label may be found at this address: http://www.fda.gov/cber/label/biopava0131022LB.pdf The reader should decide for himself if six deaths and a 35% adverse reaction rate are "very much in line with any other kind of vaccine," as Mr. Turner states. Thank you for helping us to clear up this matter. Sincerely, Kathryn D. Hubbell President, Anthrax Vaccine Network P.O. Box 844 Missoula, MT 59806 PH: 1-888-411-3200 FAX: (406) 542-0832 e-mail: contact@anthraxvaccine.net web site: http://www.anthraxvaccine.net