191340 New developments concerning anthrax

Monday, October 27, 2008: 8:45 AM

Victor W. Sidel, MD , Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine, Montifiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Hillel W. Cohen, MPH, DrPH , Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Robert Gould, MD , Associate Pathologist, Pathology Department, San Jose Kaiser Hospital, San Jose, CA
Barry S. Levy, MD, MPH , Adjunct Professor of Public Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, Sherborn, MA
     
The apparent suicide in August of anthrax researcher Bruce Ivins and the release by a U.S. federal judge of sealed records of the FBI's 7-year investigation have opened new controversies about the anthrax mailing that killed five people in 2001 and the U.S. response to it. These questions go far beyond the questions raised about the technical evidence the FBI used to threaten to indict Dr. Ivins. Since the source of the anthrax spores used in the attack is now known to be a U. S. government laboratory, has it been appropriate for the U.S. government to: (1) Blame foreign terrorists for the attack? (2) Divert enormous funds to anthrax research and neglect research on other infectious diseases? (3) Risk dissemination of anthrax from U.S. laboratories by accident or design?

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this presentation, attendees will understand what is known about the anthrax outbreak of 2001, the blaming of foreign terrorists, the lengthy FBI investigation, federal research programs on anthrax, the diversion of funds from other research, and the risks of accidental or purposeful dissemination of anthrax.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: tba
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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