Protection against bio-weapons - What we citizens can do

by Dr. med. Stefan Keller and Dr. Eva-Maria Föllmer

In Germany, a mother of two children is upset: People in the U.S.A. are being inoculated against smallpox, and here in Germany the authorities are calming her down. Are we second-class citizens? In the previous weeks several serious terror attack warnings that also mentioned bio-terror were issued, by the German intelligence service BND, and most recently by the Conference of the Ministers of the Interior. If somebody in London is infected with smallpox, every other country is a potential victim. When the above-mentioned mother saw a U.S. map exercise on a bio-terror attack and the resulting catastrophe on TV, she tried to have her children inoculated against smallpox - in vain. First she contacted her family doctor, then the health authorities.

But her worries are justified. Millions of people are threatened, we have to protect our children. Protecting human life is a human right. So far the AIDS epidemic has made 13.4 million children orphans, 11 million of them in Africa. Before we have a similar number of victims, a broad discussion concerning the protection against bio-weapons must take place. In an open and sincere discussion among equals, from heart to heart, many people will talk about their justified concerns openly. They will become active, and those in charge in politics and in the authorities will not be able to ignore them. All scientists and all the disciplines must play an active role, in an interdisciplinary way and across borders, and find ways of tackling the problem seriously and carefully. Everything must be discussed openly and sincerely. Citizens will certainly participate.

Since 11 September and the Anthrax attacks research and measures against a bio-weapon attack have been going at full blast: The old threat of bio-terror is seen in a new light. The Soviet defector and bio-weapon expert Ken Alibek, First Deputy Director of the Russian bio-weapon laboratory Biopreparat from 1988 to 1992, has voiced his warnings for years. In his book Biohazard, which has been reprinted several times, he warns about the production of tons of smallpox viruses in Russian laboratories.

As a response to public pressure the Bush administration has now started vaccination in the U.S. First military personnel and those who will be immediately affected by an attack. But also those citizens who wish to do so can register to have themselves inoculated in spring or summer 2003. Even Laura Bush does not object to having her whole family inoculated. As early as July the New York Times urged the government in its editorial to make the vaccine available to all citizens who wish to be vaccinated. The head of the team advising the Health Ministry on epidemiological control resigned to protest the ministry's rejection of his recommendation to inoculate the entire population immediately. In the past three months Israel has inoculated 15,000 people - without any serious side effects.

Every citizen in every nation in the world has a right to know which vaccine is available in his country. The U.S.A. and Israel are said to have the best vaccine. Everybody has a right to be vaccinated voluntarily - before an attack. Experts have pointed out that in the case of a careful preliminary vaccination programme side effects can be kept to a minimum, whereas in an emergeny programme this cannot be guaranteed. Comprehensive protection of the whole population will then not be possible anymore.

Who stores and administers the vaccine in your country? Who bought it and how many doses are available? Where is it stored and who takes the decisions in an emergeny? Who distributes it? Have emergency vaccination plans been worked out? Which government body, which ministry authorizes the use of the vaccine? On what legal grounds has the authorization of the use of the vaccine so far been denied?

If many citizens, many mothers and fathers ask their authorities these questions there will be a consequence.