◆ SpookStack

IN IS UNCLASSIFIED DATE 12-10-2006 BY 60324 uc baw/rs/mjs @ . . INFORMATION CONTAINED be The critical importance of the United States human anthrax vaccine, AVA bic (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), to the United States Military was brought clearly into focus in 1997, when’Secretary:of Defense Cohen mandated vaccinations for men and women in the U>S. armed services. By 2000, however, it was apparent that the continued supply of the vaccine to the military was in serious jeopardy, as production lots began failing the potency test. This test requires defined levels of protection in guinea pigs inoculated with specific dilutions of vaccine and subsequently challenged with virulent anthrax spores. In April of 2000 {—] Ce yUSAMEIID employees began serious efforts to solve the potency test problems. These. efforts did not end until AVA was approved for release in early 2002, arid it was precisely because of these efforts that the vaccine has again become available to protect men and women in the military. . Among the critical tasks tha ssumed during the period are included: : :