"Bush Signs Bill to Stockpile Antidotes" (This makes me nervous)

[GreenPartyVoter]

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush on Wednesday signed legislation to develop and stockpile vaccines and other antidotes to chemical and germ attacks, saying the measure will "rally the great promise of American science and innovation to confront the greatest danger of our time."

The legislation, called Project BioShield, provides the drug industry with incentives to research and develop bioterrorism countermeasures. It speeds up the approval process of antidotes and, in an emergency, allows the government to distribute certain treatments before the Food and Drug Administration has approved them.

"We know that the terrorists seek an even deadlier technology, and if they acquire chemical, biological or nuclear weapons we have no doubt they will use them to cause even greater harm," Bush said in the Rose Garden. He said the legislation sends a message about America's direction in the war on terror - that the United States refuses to stand idle "when modern technology might be turned against us."

U.S. officials are hoping that Project BioShield will yield enough new-generation anthrax vaccine to dose 25 million people. Federal health officials also hope that the $5.6 billion program will provide antidotes for botulism and anthrax, a safer smallpox vaccine and a long-awaited children's version of an anti-radiation pill.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20040721/D83V8CLO0.html

[LittleApple81]

1. So he does not protect the cargo coming from other countries or the

ports of America, but let's us HAVE MORE FEAR, MORE FEAR by approving this law. WHAT A COMPLETE blankety-blank.

[bloom]

2. they want you to be nervous...n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. I'm not nervous about actual terra-ists, I am scared my own gov't is

gonna gas me with something!

[bloom]

10. I guess you couldn't rule it out

but it seems more likely that the point of this is to bring the Pharmaceutical companies into the defense contracting business. More ways to drive us bankrupt and all.....


Of course - when there are weapons they find a need for them. Hope the same doesn't happen with this.

[havocmom]

3. Allows government to distribute before FDA approval?!?!

Check the fine print. Probably a clause in there protecting Big Pharm from any lawsuits for liability when unapproved treatments cause problems for some.

This is just great. Make/implement policies which assure there will be more terrorist and attacks then make sure your big contributors cash in on the created crisis.

Right up there with putting our troops in a fight they shouldn't have started and then holding them and us hostage to the situation the enocons created themselves while they funnel $$ to Halliburton and their ilk.

There are not words to descripe how vile these people are.

[nostamj]

4. the Dems voted for this BIG TIME

only 2 votes against it in the House...

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. They boggle the mind of the decent.

[Lerkfish]

7. I actually read a Ludlum novel like this once...

Don't recall the name of the novel, but essentially, the pharmaceutical companies distributed vaccines with timed released plague in them, and the evil Dr. No facsimile had the only antidote.

[elehhhhna]

8. and Giuliani has an Anthrax Clean-Up Company? Growth Industry?

THAT scares me. What does he know?

[bobbyboucher]

9. Obviously, someone close to Bush produces vaccines,

nothing more than another money grab.

[Generic Other]

11. The government's kool-aid

Step right up folks!