Evening star., 1955-05-26
Officials Confer on Plan
To Tighten Serum Tests
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
any of the producer representa-
tives disclose detailed objections
or how extensive the disagree
ment may be.
The manufacturers objections
or reservations added to the un-
certainty and delay in efforts to
resume the Nationwide vaccine
inoculation program. Surgeon
General Leonard A. Scheele, in
accouncing establishment Of the
advisory panel, had said yester-
day that Eve are now ready to
move ahead"
AS the conferences continued.
RHS reported today that there
were 246 new cases of polio last
week, as compared with 206 the
week before. The average for the
corresponding week in the years
1950-1954 inclusive was 1875. The
summary added that the total of
246 new cases last week never
theless" is not unusual for this
time of the year except that many
cases are occurring in the North
ern States where the season US
ually begins later"
Some Lots Cleared
Vaccine lots produced by
Parke, Davis and Eli Lilly s. Co.
of indianapolis have been re-
cleared by the Public Health
Service following recent addi-
tional checks of plants and pro-
cesses. PHS has not yet an
nounced results of similar in
spections at Wyeth, Inc, Ma
rietta. Pa. and Pitman-Moore
Co., Zionsville, Ind.
Two other companies of the
original six licensed to make the
vaccine are Sharpe & Dohme,
Inc, of Philadelphia, which has
not yet been rechecked, and
Cutter Laboratories. Inc, of
Berkeley, Calf. The Cutter
product was withdrawn April 81
after outbreak of polio cases
among some of the children who
were inoculated with its vaccine.
Cutter Issues Statement
DR.. Robert K. Cutter, presi-
dent of Cutter Laboratories, is
sued the following statement
yesterday:
We have put many years of
experience in virus tissue cul-
ture and our best qualified peo-
pie, men of exceptional, ability
and integrity, into the polio
program. They prepared polio
myelitis vaccine strictly in ac-
cordance with methods stipu-
lated by DR.. Salk and his con-
sulting experts.
Cutter vaccine which we re-
leased passed the most rigid
safety tests exactly as laid down
by a committee of polio experts.
Our scientific and technical per-
sonnel handling the vaccine pro-
gram were all inoculated with
the vaccine which they had pro-
duced, as were 465 of their chill
dren.
I'VE have furnished all infor-
nation possible and co-operated
fully with Government officials.
Since they have much more in
formation which we do not have,
the ultimate determination must
come from them.
I'VE sincerely hope that the
ultimate determination will be
that neither our vaccine nor the
vaccine of any manufacturer has
been responsible for cases of
polio which occurred following
injections. If. however. it should
be finally determined that some
cases resulted from the use of
our vaccine, it will not be be-
cause of carelessness or incom-
petence, but rather will show
the necessity for more delicate
testing procedures than those
which have already been de-
vlsed."
Salk Among Advisers
Among first responsibilities of
the advisory commission, ap-
pointed late yesterday and in
cluding DR.. Jonas Salk, developer
of The vaccine. will be to recon-
mend the release of further vac
cine from any of the six firms.
DR.. Scheele said the group was
named primarily to recommend
action on all lots of vaccine al
ready produced but not yet re-
leased and on all lots of the vac
cine which will be produced in
the future"
The announcement, however,
showed that the commission,
while advisory. will be a contin-
uing and hard-Working group.
It's duties also will be to review
the manufacturing processes,
review testing procedures both
by the manufacturers and the
National Institutes of Health.
evaluate plant inspections. and