One of the reasons for the reduction in US stocks of Jynneos *, it is explained, is that federal officials dealing with it had not considered monkeypox a pressing problem. They focused on more dangerous and life-threatening scenarios, such as a bioterror attack with smallpox or anthrax. “We have to prepare for multiple threats on a tight budget,” said Gary Disbrow, director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (Barda).
L’emergenza coast to coast
Now, monkeypox has emerged as a public health threat. At the end of July, more than 5,000 cases were reported in the United States and San Francisco first and New York state later declared a state of emergency. At the same time, WHO (World Health Organization) declared monkeypox a world emergency. With risks also for Europe, where the first deaths were recorded, in Spain and over 420 cases in Italy.
“We are working around the clock to accelerate the number of doses available,” a spokesperson for Health and Human Services said in a statement. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and subsequent anthrax letters, the US government had redoubled its efforts to prepare for future threats.
Smallpox was thought to be a clear danger, with a mortality rate of 30%. Although the virus was declared eradicated in 1980, laboratory samples existed. After 2001, the United States therefore looked for an effective vaccine with fewer side effects than those available. By 2013, Bavarian Nordic had delivered 20 million doses of its new smallpox vaccine to the Strategic National Stockpile, according to the company’s annual report and U.S. documents. Vaccine in vials in frozen liquid form, with a shelf life of three years. Some experts were also skeptical of using a double dose in the event of a bioterrorist attack.
Change your approach
However, when the 20 million doses of Jynneos began to expire, with the freeze-dried version still in development, the United States ordered an additional 8 million, which were shipped in 2015. By 2017, all 27,993,370 doses in Jynneos’ national stockpiles they had run out, although the US still had a huge stockpile of their other smallpox vaccines.