MyQJ | QJ.NET | Apple | Mobile | Science | MMORPG | Nintendo DS | Wii | World of Warcraft | PlayStation 3 | PSP | Xbox 360 | Gadgets | PC Gaming | Age of Conan | Downloads | QJ.NET Forums

Political drama: the war for the anthrax vaccine

Posted Dec 04, 2007 at 02:05PM by Isaac C. Listed in: Diseases Tags: Los Angeles, Emergent
Ó

Anthrax Vaccine - Image 1


Politics is a harsh arena and a powerful tool, but as the old saying goes, "power in the wrong hands..." In a recent investigation in the Los Angeles Times, David William tells the story of the battle for the anthrax vaccine.

In the investigation, he narrates how Emergent BioSolutions Inc., the current supplier of anthrax vaccines, took out its competitor, VaxGen Inc., from manufacturing a better vaccine through lobbying in the government.

Emergent's vaccine is currently America's stockpile source against anthrax. However, the vaccine has its drawbacks: it causes swollen arms, muscle and joint pains, requires six injections over 18 months, and yearly booster shots.

After a terrorist attack that killed five people in the East Coast with anthrax, the government called for a new vaccine - one without the drawbacks - to be made. They hired VaxGen to develop it. Should they succeed, Emergent would be left high and dry.

Rising to the situation, Emergent lobbied against the new vaccine. They quadrupled their costs on lobbying. In four years they spent US$ 5.29 million in lobbying, with even Vice President Dick Cheney on their rollcall. In contrast, VaxGen spent only US$ 720,000.

VaxGen eventually encountered a problem developing their vaccine, although all they need was time and money to eventually jump the hurdle. However, due to Emergent's lobbying, the government refused to award them their due funds.

Despite having a potentially superior vaccine had they been given time, officials finally canceled VaxGen's contract last year. Emergent continues to supply the current stock of vaccine and has won US$ 642 million in federal contracts, with more coming.

[Via The Los Angeles Times] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!

Bookmark / Find this article on:

2 Jumps     Fingerprints inside the body: the Palm Vein Scan
2 Jumps     Iran: Sanctions? What sanctions? We fly off to space with our own sate..
1 Jumps     Ancient Roman temple unearthed under Jewish capital
1 Jumps     Dead algae suffocates oceans, oxygen running low

1 Comments


Sort by:
   by Advertising -
   by codexenon - 2007-12-05
 » Lost faith
Is this surprising in today society really. Even if we vote in a new leader the system is corrupted beyond repair.



Featured Content
Contact
QJ.NET Blog Network RSS Feeds
MyQJ Feed / PDA
MyQJ RSS / PDA
Blog of Blogs Feed / PDA
QJ.NET RSS / PDA
Gaming Consoles Feed / PDA
Nintendo DS RSS / PDA
PlayStation 3 RSS / PDA
PSP Updates RSS / PDA
Wii RSS / PDA
Xbox 360 RSS / PDA
PC Gaming Feed / PDA
Age of Conan RSS / PDA
Games for Windows RSS / PDA
MMORPG RSS / PDA
Tabula Rasa RSS / PDA
World of Warcraft RSS / PDA
Science Feed / PDA
Science RSS / PDA
Technology Feed / PDA
Apple RSS / PDA
Gadgets RSS / PDA
Mobile RSS / PDA
Photography RSS / PDA
Add QJ.NET
Add to My Yahoo!
Google Reader Subscribe with Bloglines
Add to your Kinja digest Subscribe in NewsGator Online
Subscribe with Pluck RSS reader Add 'www.qj.net' to Newsburst from CNET News.com
Subscribe with SearchFox RSS del.icio.us www.qj.net
Add to Technorati Favorite! Add to My AOL
furl! it Stumble for Treehugger!
User Favorites - August
Most Commented
(28)
(13)
(9)
(7)
(7)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(3)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
User Favorites - August
Top Jumps
Two days until Large Hadron.. (61)
The 'Tumbler' Batmobile e.. (35)
Mythbusters previews their .. (26)
Confirmed: Mars holds water (23)
Bet you didn't know: some .. (22)
Ancient Roman temple uneart.. (19)
University of California: l.. (19)
Forget the asparagus: Marti.. (17)
Research: solar systems lik.. (16)
NASA's plan to bomb the Mo.. (15)
Rat-brained robot provides .. (14)
Dutch town trying to cut po.. (14)
Nanoantennas to harvest sol.. (12)
Dead algae suffocates ocean.. (12)
Video game helps cancer pat.. (10)
Iran: Sanctions? What sanct.. (9)
Prototype for recyclable bi.. (9)
NASA chooses possible impac.. (9)
Photonics to pave faster In.. (8)
Supercomputer simulates exi.. (7)
NCSoft: guitarist, producer.. (7)
Perchlorate in Martian soil.. (6)
Elephant seals help researc.. (6)
Large Hadron Collider activ.. (5)
Fingerprints inside the bod.. (5)

 Username: 
 Password:
Forgot password
New user registration



Poll
Are unidentified flying objects (UFOs) really alien spaceships?
Earth Science
General Science
Health Science
Space
Archives


Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the TERMS & CONDITIONS and PRIVACY POLICY
Copyright © 2006, Content Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Version. 1.31