Posted on Fri, Jan. 24, 2003
CNA calls smallpox program 'political'
Nursing union official says Bush's plan carries more risks than benefits
By Matt Krupnick
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
The state's largest nursing organization on Thursday urged hospitals and nurses not to participate in a proposed smallpox vaccination program.
The 50,000-member California Nursing Association said President Bush's plan to inoculate up to 10.5 million health-care workers and emergency responders carries more risks than benefits, and the proposal is meant more to advance a war with Iraq than save lives.
"We feel this smallpox program has been made for political reasons, not public health reasons," said Lisabeth Jacobs, an association spokeswoman. "What it's doing is inflaming public fears."
The nurses' opposition adds to a wave of wariness about the smallpox plan. Some of the nation's largest unions have opposed the program, and most California hospitals have yet to order the vaccine.
Federal health officials could not be reached for comment. About 500,000 military personnel are also being vaccinated.
The vaccine consists of a live virus and is known for its serious side effects. Past experience indicates between 14 and 52 of every 1 million people immunized will suffer life-threatening complications, such as blindness and swelling of the brain.
Among the reasons for the California Nurses Association's opposition were the dangers of transmitting the disease from vaccinated nurses to patients and a lack of compensation plans for nurses harmed by the inoculations.
The Homeland Security Act requires people injured by the vaccine to sue the federal government and prove negligence to be compensated.
The association also said the smallpox plan uses funding that should be used for other health care programs.
If the plan is implemented in Contra Costa County, hospital workers won't be forced to be vaccinated, said Francie Wise, director of communicable disease control for the county.
"There is no credible threat of disease," Wise said. "It's very important to us that with this low, low risk of disease people are not exposed unnecessarily to the disease."
In Los Angeles County, hospitals received the vaccine Wednesday and plan to offer the inoculations to employees next week. Hospitals in other parts of the state have not received their doses yet.
At Children's Hospital Oakland, spokeswoman Vanya Rainova said Thursday administrators have not decided whether they will vaccinate nurses.
"We were just concerned with liability issues," Rainova said. "If we do decide to go forward with it, vaccination would be absolutely voluntary."
Jacobs said the nursing association's worries are compounded by federal predictions that nearly a third of nurses inoculated will miss at least a day of work.
The association opposes a war with Iraq and believes resources would be better used elsewhere, she said.
"Tuberculosis is more of a threat right now," Jacobs said. "There are things out there that this current health infrastructure cannot handle."
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