Vaccine stockpiles now required by law.

• Author: Pappalardo, Joe
• Position: Security beat: homeland defense briefs - Brief Article

President George W. Bush in late July signed a bill to develop and stockpile vaccines, and other antidotes to biological and chemical weapons.

The bi-partisan legislation, dubbed BioShield, provides the drug industry with incentives to research and develop bioterrorism countermeasures, speeds up the approval process of antidotes and allows the government, in an emergency, to distribute certain treatments before the Food and Drug Administration has approved them.

"We know that the terrorists seek an even deadlier technology," Bush said at the signing. "If they acquire chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, we have no doubt they will use them to cause even greater harm."

The law authorizes $5.6 billion over 10 years. Among the initiatives being funded are the purchases of a second-generation smallpox vaccine and an antidote to botulinum toxin, as well as the research of new treatments for chemical and radiological injuries. The National Institutes of Health will administer programs to speed up the processing of grants to...