Britain鈥檚 Ministry of Defence was warned of potential health dangers from a
vaccine combination similar to the one given to soldiers during the Gulf War,
defence minister John Reid revealed last week. However, the warning never
reached ministers.
In a fax sent in 1990, the Department of Health noted that mice suffered
鈥渟erious loss of condition and weight鈥� when given vaccines against anthrax and
pertussis (whooping cough). Pertussis vaccines were used during the Gulf War to
accelerate the development of anthrax immunity.
The raw data from the study by the National Institute of Biological Standards
and Control were destroyed after the vaccines鈥� expiry date, says a health
department spokesman.
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