The Norovirus, A.K.A. The Cruise Ship Bug Vaccine

Norovirus is not generally life-threatening
~Dr. Julie Gerberding President of Merck Vaccines

An experimental vaccine for the norovirus is in the testing stages. Norovirus, implicated by the Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal as  caused by poor restroom cleaning,  may soon be preventable by vaccination. According to Dr. Thomas Hooton (professor at University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine) the norovirus spreads like wildfire.  Hundreds of people can get sick in just a few days, he pointed out. "If a food handler contaminates the food on a cruise ship, it spreads like crazy. There is bad diarrhea and bad vomiting, and if they are not cleaned up properly, it can stick to surfaces and spread from person to person," Hooton said.

Clearly, there is a tremendous need for prevention. And prevention apparently means vaccination, not clean toilets or proper food handling.

Note: Personally I prefer hygienic measures to eliminate the spread of norovirus on cruise ships or other contained areas that serve food. A vaccine that  prevents you from becoming ill if you eat s**t? I think that should make you sick.

No Anthrax Vaccine Testing on Children for Now

"Last month, federal advisers recommended pediatric anthrax vaccine testing, which sparked debate within the medical community; neither option--testing children now or waiting until a bioterror attack--is considered palatable."
U.S. considers anthrax vaccine trials--for kids

There is some convoluted reasoning going on in the referenced article.  And more than a bit of fear-mongering. In 2001 5 adults died and 17 people became ill when exposed to anthrax spores in the Senate. Since then, there have been no reported cases of anthrax related death or illness in the US.

The anthrax vaccine was licensed in 1970. It was not widely administered until the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War when 150k military personnel received the vaccine. In 1997 the vaccine was made mandatory for military personnel. The mandatory vaccination was suspended in 2003-06 when the efficacy and safety of the vaccine was questioned but the program was resumed in 2006.

The CDC recommends the Anthrax vaccine for:

• Certain people 18 through 65 years of age who might be exposed to large amounts of B. anthracis bacteria on the job, including:
  • Certain laboratory or remediation workers
  • Some people handling animals or animal products
• Some military personnel, as determined by the Department of Defense

I don't see children on that list. Common sense has prevailed (for the time being). The Public Health Service Board for Preparedness and Response voted 12-1 against proceeding with pediatric testing of the anthrax vaccine.

Note: I should think it would be obvious that if there is an ethical debate surrounding testing on children, the obvious answer would be "No." In other words, this should not even be a debate.

Something else I learned: Louis Pasteur created an anthrax vaccine for farm animals in 1881.