-Caveat Lector-
VOICE Of The GRUNT Anthrax, 1999-09-01-B
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ARTICLE 6
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IT'S A PLANT THAT PRODUCES NOTHING BUT CONTROVERSY
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SUMMARY: We received this piece several weeks ago and have been waiting for
some good complimentary pieces to join it. Another good anthrax commentary.
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By A Motivated Warrior
I'm sure you are aware of the action taken by DOD several weeks ago. No
press reports that I've seen fully explore some baseline issues, although
the NY Times piece on Friday came close. This company did not exist until
just over a year ago. It has never produced ANY product, much less had a
DOD contract before. Unlike established DOD contractors with a large
industrial base (General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, etc.) Bioport is
basically a paper entity with a negative balance sheet that happens to own
a vaccine plant that it neither built nor which it has ever used to produce
vaccine since the purchase.
Bioport entered into a contract with DOD and failed to fulfill the terms
of the contract. It should have been found in breach of the contract and
had the contract revoked. Since the Michigan plant is Bioport's only asset,
the company would then go bankrupt, and be forced to sell the plant to pay
off its debts. That is what is supposed to happen in a capitalist economy.
Undoubtedly, more competently managed companies -- presumably with some
expertise in the manufacture of vaccines (unlike Bioport) -- would have
stepped in to take over the plant.
Instead of allowing the marketplace work to eliminate an incompetently
managed company, DOD stepped in to save it. Why? Despite DOD's assertions
about the mandates of "national defense" justifying its actions, it should
be clear that this action preserves the 22% ownership stake in Bioport held
by a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ADM Crowe, and the 32%
held by key Bioport employees (who were former state employees).
The investigation of the sale of Bioport by the State of Michigan
legislature found serious ethical violations by two key state employees who
currently work for Bioport, one as COO. Additionally, the presence of ADM
Crowe as a Bioport board member was likely a significant advantage in the
sale of the plant to Bioport. He was given 1/5th ownership in the company
despite zero investment, business experience, or vaccine/medical background.
The more than doubling of the contract price and especially the advance of
$18M to Bioport stinks of gross ethical lapses by DOD. For that money
Bioport should have gone bankrupt and DOD could have taken over the plant
-- or paid to have it run by a real pharmaceutical company. Instead, DOD
acted to preserve the investment of the only senior military officer to
endorse Bill Clinton in 1992 and his politically well-connected friend and
Bioport CEO, Fuad al-Hibri.
I hope you explore this situation further.
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ARTICLE 7
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*******Medal Of Honor*******
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*WATTERS, CHARLES JOSEPH
Rank and organization: Chaplain (Maj.), USA, Co. A, 173rd Supp. Bn, 173rd
ABN Bgd.
Place and date: Near Dak To Province, RVN, 19 November 1967.
Entered service at: Fort Dix, N.J.
Born: 17 January 1927, Jersey City, N.J.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk
of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Chaplain Watters
distinguished himself during an assault in the vicinity of Dak To. Chaplain
Watters was moving with one of the companies when it engaged a heavily
armed enemy battalion. As the battle raged and the casualties mounted,
Chaplain Watters, with complete disregard for his safety, rushed forward to
the line of contact. Unarmed and completely exposed, he moved among, as
well as in front of the advancing troops, giving aid to the wounded,
assisting in their evacuation, giving words of encouragement, and
administering the last rites to the dying. When a wounded paratrooper was
standing in shock in front of the assaulting forces, Chaplain Watters ran
forward, picked the man up on his shoulders and carried him to safety. As
the troopers battled to the first enemy entrenchment, Chaplain Watters ran
through the intense enemy fire to the front of the entrenchment to aid a
fallen comrade. A short time later, the paratroopers pulled back in
preparation for a second assault. Chaplain Watters exposed himself to both
friendly and enemy fire between the 2 forces in order to recover 2 wounded
soldiers. Later, when the battalion was forced to pull back into a
perimeter, Chaplain Watters noticed that several wounded soldiers were
Lying outside the newly formed perimeter. Without hesitation and ignoring
attempts to restrain him, Chaplain Watters left the perimeter three times
in the face of small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire to carry and
to assist the injured troopers to safety. Satisfied that all of the wounded
were inside the perimeter, he began aiding the medics--applying field
bandages to open wounds, obtaining and serving food and water, giving
spiritual and mental strength and comfort. During his ministering, he moved
out to the perimeter from position to position redistributing food and
water, and tending to the needs of his men. Chaplain Watters was giving aid
to the wounded when he himself was mortally wounded. Chaplain Watters'
unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades was in
keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
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ARTICLE 8
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FDA ORDERS PENTAGON TO FOLLOW FDA VACCINE RULES
PENTAGON BROKE RULES IN GIVING SOLDIERS VACCINE
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SUMMARY: Here's a story from January of 1998.
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Submitted to us by Lt. Col. Roger Charles, USMC (Ret)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon violated federal rules in giving an
encephalitis vaccine to American soldiers in Bosnia in 1996, raising
questions about how the Defense Department performs medical research, the
Food and Drug Administration says.
The FDA, already probing problems stemming from experimental drugs given to
Gulf War soldiers, ordered the Pentagon last month to submit detailed
procedures to ensure it will follow FDA safety rules.
The Pentagon missed the January 12 deadline, the FDA said Monday, but has
promised a response soon.
"We want it resolved correctly and appropriately, because none of us knows
when there will be the need to have another deployment" in which soldiers
need experimental drugs, said FDA senior policy analyst Bonnie Lee.
The Pentagon is working "to improve compliance during such circumstances in
the future," said Defense spokesman Lt. Col. Tom Begines. But he stressed
that the violations were minor and that the encephalitis vaccine has been
given safely to millions of Europeans as well as to the U.S. soldiers.
The issue first arose after Gulf War troops received two experimental drugs
as protection against chemical and biological warfare, when the FDA waived
usual requirements that let Americans choose unapproved therapies only
after being fully informed of the risks.
But the FDA says the Pentagon violated its rules requiring that troops be
told the drugs were experimental and that strict health records be
maintained to catch side effects. The drugs now are under scrutiny for
possible links to so-called Gulf War syndrome.
The Pentagon acknowledged problems, but in July the FDA said it had broken
the rules again -- while vaccinating nearly 4,000 soldiers in Bosnia
against tick-borne encephalitis.
The FDA does not consider the vaccine dangerous -- it is widely used in
Europe but not here because tick-borne encephalitis is not a U.S. problem.
Still, soldiers were inadequately warned about side effects and the fact
that the vaccine was not FDA approved, and the 1996 vaccinations were not
properly recorded in many soldiers' medical records, the FDA said.
It cited a pattern of violations that it will consider in debating how to
regulate future Defense Department research.
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