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Anthrax: Federal Agencies Have Taken Some Steps to Validate Sampling Methods and to Develop a Next-Generation Anthrax Vaccine

GAO-06-756T Published: May 09, 2006. Publicly Released: May 09, 2006.
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Highlights

GAO has done many studies over the past 7 years on anthrax vaccine safety and anthrax detection methods. GAO has reported the lack of validated methods for detecting anthrax contamination and has recommended a coordinated approach to improving the overall process for detecting anthrax that included a probability-based sampling strategy. GAO also reported that the vaccine has not been adequately tested on humans; no studies have been done to determine the optimum number of doses; the long-term safety has not been studied and data on short-term reactions are limited; however, women report higher rates of reactions than do men. Given these problems, GAO recommended the development, of a better, alternative vaccine.

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AnthraxBioterrorismCounterterrorismDisease controlDisease detection or diagnosisEmergency preparednessEmergency responseFederal procurementInteragency relationsPolicy evaluationPublic health preparedness and response for bioterrorism programStatistical methodsStrategic planningVaccinationprivate partnerships