DOD is developing a plan to immunize all military personnel against the biological warfare agent anthrax. Beginning in the Spring of 1998, the anthrax vaccine will be administered to approximately 100,000 military members assigned or deployed to the high threat areas of Southwest Asia and Northeast Asia. Over subsequent years, it will be given to all active duty and reserve personnel as part of a comprehensive force protection plan. The vaccine, which has been FDA-licensed since 1970, is manufactured under contract by the Michigan Biologic Products Institute.
Anthrax is a serious threat under the biological warfare scenario.
At least 10 countries have or are suspected of developing a biological warfare capacity that includes anthrax. At one point Iraq declared it possessed almost 9,000 liters of the anthrax agent. When inhaled by humans, even minute particles of the disease cause severe pneumonia and death within a week. The military services are currently drafting their own implementation plans in anticipation of the DoD program. Air Force Joint Instruction 48-110, Immunizations and Chemoprophylaxis , establishes the general principles, procedures, and responsibilities for the immunizations programs for all of the military services.