Evening star., 1955-06-10

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denly released technical report to
Welfare Secretary Hobby and
the White House did not answer
at least two big persistent
queries:
What was the exact cause Of
defects traced to a few vaccine
lots made by the Cutter Lahora-
tories?
How soon will the mass inocu-
lation program be resumed in
full-scale and about how many
children can obtain shots this
summer?
The report, given out early TO-
day when a news leak interfered
with a planned Saturday brief
ing session and Sunday publica-
ton, also said nothing about
proposed measures in Congress
for standby or mandatory con-
trolls. Nor did it discuss sug-
gested Federal grants for free
vaccine for all youngsters or. as
recommended by the admins
tration, for those whose parents
cannot afford to pay.
Confident of Safety
3. The voluminous report and DR..
Scheele's accompanying letter Of
transmittal, however, expressed
great confidence in future added
safety and more efficient han
ding Of Salk vaccine production
and distribution.
It predicted the vaccine will
fulfill its bright promise" in
helping to conquer polio. 1t de-
clared the Salk vaccine also will
ease the task of developing sim
liar successful weapons against
other dread diseases, against
which many so-called wonder
drugs" have failed.
The report disclosed that the
recent decision to resume the
inoculation program on the
basis of revised standards met
with the approval of a "prepon-
derance"-but not all-the scien-
lists consulted on the problem
since late April.
"The group made no formal
report or recommendations" the
report said. There were certain
points upon which they agreed,
others on which they did not.
All felt that processing and test
ing improvements were essential.
All agreed that Cutter vaccine
should continue to be withheld.
Some felt that the national pro-
gram of vaccination should be
indefinitely postponed. Others
wanted to go ahead without in
terruption."
DR.. w. M. Harmon of the
University of Pittsburgh, was
the only one identified by the
report as having suggested in
definite suspension of the pro-
gram.
Points in Talk Repeated
Most Of the explanations in
the report repeated or elaborated
points in a talk DR.. Scheele made
early this week at an American
Medical Association meeting in
Atlantic City.
The report, DR.. Scheele said in
the transmittal letter, attempted
primarily to provide a cohesive
and comprehensive review oi
events of the complex problem.
It related the story particularly
since the April IL announcement
OF results of 1854 field trials.
It detailed recent moves te
tighten the testing standards ano
revamp the setup at the Biologics
Control Laboratory.
Events which in the tradi-
tional course of scientific devel.
opment would have covered
years." he said, "were telescopec
into months and. as a result
both successes and failures have
been magnified. In the long run
however. the Nation and the
world will surely have gained
from efforts to speed the avail.
ability Of an effective immuniz-
ing agent against this disease
Separate Cutter Report
The so-called "Cutter Incl
dent" continues to puzzle the
PHS, the report indicated. DR.
Scheele promised a separate re-
port on that situation as soon
Continued on Page AT, Col.