Government Wasting Unused Anthrax Vaccine

Oct 24, 09:43 AM

Current Headlines: WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government stands to waste $100 million a year if two federal agencies cannot agree to coordinate the use of a vaccine for the deadly anthrax bacterial disease.

The departments of Defense and Health and Human Services each purchase the anthrax vaccine, BioThrax. But much of the vaccine purchased for HHS goes unused, according to government investigators.

Currently the Strategic National Stockpile has more than 520,000 doses of the vaccine -- worth $12 million -- that have already expired, according to a Government Accountability Office report.

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