Cosgrove defends anthrax jabs

The chief of the Australian Defence Force has defended the way the Defence Department handled an anthrax vaccination program for the Australian troops sent to Iraq. General Peter Cosgrove has told Channel Nine the troops going to Iraq were not subjected to undue pressure to accept the vaccine. “A fairly eminent QC looking into the situation emphatically declared that everybody had their choice, were told the implications of the inoculations and then got on with it,” he said. “I think that one or two people who declined to take the inoculation probably see things in a different light but they’re vastly outnumbered by the people who did take the inoculation and got on with their job.” The vaccination program for an earlier deployment to Afghanistan was suspended at one stage due to concerns about side effects. A Defence spokesman says the side effects were not serious and vaccinations were resumed, once they were found to be safe and effective.

The chief of the Australian Defence Force has defended the way the Defence Department handled an anthrax vaccination program for the Australian troops sent to Iraq.General Peter Cosgrove has told Channel Nine the troops going to Iraq were not subjected to undue pressure to accept the vaccine.”A fairly eminent QC looking into the situation emphatically declared that everybody had their choice, were told the implications of the inoculations and then got on with it,” he said.”I think that one or two people who declined to take the inoculation probably see things in a different light but they’re vastly outnumbered by the people who did take the inoculation and got on with their job.”The vaccination program for an earlier deployment to Afghanistan was suspended at one stage due to concerns about side effects.A Defence spokesman says the side effects were not serious and vaccinations were resumed, once they were found to be safe and effective.(Source: ABC Health News, Feb 2004)