Anthrax Bits and Pieces

By Michael Dorausch, D.C.

According to ABC News, 32,000 people have been prescribed antibiotics as a result of the anthrax scare yet according to health officials, only 5000 needed to take the pills. The news article states that Cipro, the main antibiotic being prescribed, can cause some severe side effects. (which the FDA will be studying)

According to the article, The Food and Drug Administration plans to contact all the 32,000 people taking these drugs in order to get better information about their side effects. Those taking the drugs have just become a statistic in a government study.

The article also mentions the ongoing debate of whether or not to vaccinate the entire U.S. population for smallpox. According to the report, President Bush stated, “I would be deeply concerned about a vaccination program that would cause people to lose their lives,” noting that the vaccine occasionally has fatal side effects.

Yahoo News headlines read, CDC: One in Five Taking Cipro Report Side Effects. According to the article, the CDC is not at all surprised with the number of folks reporting side effects as a result of taking the antibiotic, with the deputy director stating, “that percentage of side effects is expected.”

If we were to do the numbers, 27,000 of the 32,000 being prescribed antibiotics are taking them unnecessarily. Fifty four hundred of those 27,000 taking the antibiotics are reporting side effects on a drug that there’s no need to be taking in the first place. Give drugs to healthy people and what do you get?

ABC News: In anthrax crisis, 32,000 people have been prescribed antibiotics
Yahoo News: CDC: One in Five Taking Cipro Report Side Effects