Immediate Stoppage of Anthrax Vaccinations
This MARADMIN directs the immediate stoppage of all anthrax vaccinations for Marine Corps personnel in response to a federal court preliminary injunction against the Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program (AVIP) issued on December 22, 2003. The stoppage applies to all active and reserve component Marines, civilian personnel, contractors, and dependents, regardless of vaccination status or location.
Issued: December 24, 2003
1. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS MSG ARE APPLICABLE TO ALL ACTIVE COMPONENT AND RESERVE COMPONENT MARINES, EMERGENCY- ESSENTIAL AND MISSION-ESSENTIAL CIVILIAN AND CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL, AND DOD DEPENDENTS. 2. ON 22 DECEMBER 2003, THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ISSUED A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST THE CURRENT OPERATION OF THE ANTHRAX VACCINE IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM (AVIP). IN RESPONSE, DOD, IN CONCERT WITH OTHER AGENCIES, IS EVALUATING POSSIBLE LITIGATION AND PROGRAM ACTIONS. PENDING FURTHER NOTICE, DEPSECDEF DECIDED THAT DOD WILL STOP GIVING ANTHRAX VACCINATIONS. 3. PER REF A, OSD HAS DIRECTED THE FOLLOWING ACTION EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. A. STOP GIVING ANTHRAX VACCINATIONS TO ALL MILITARY AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL, TO INCLUDE FAMILY MEMBERS. THIS APPLIES TO PERSONNEL NOT PREVIOUSLY VACCINATED AND PERSONNEL CURRENTLY UNDERGOING THE SIX SHOT BASIC SERIES AND ANNUAL BOOSTER, REGARDLESS OF THEIR CURRENT LOCATION. DO NOT IMPLEMENT VOLUNTARY VACCINATIONS VIA INFORMED CONSENT PROCEDURES AT THIS TIME. B. ENSURE ALL VACCINATIONS PREVIOUSLY ADMINISTERED ARE ACCURATELY RECORDED IN MEDICAL RECORDS AND ELECTRONICALLY SUBMITTED TO THE DEFENSE ELIGIBILITY ENROLLMENT SYSTEM (DEERS) VIA SERVICE AUTOMATED IMMUNIZATION TRACKING SYSTEM. C. COMMANDERS WILL INFORM ALL PERSONNEL OF THIS STOPPAGE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/GUIDANCE FROM OSD IS EXPECTED AS THE LEGAL SITUATION IS CLARIFIED. 4. ALL ANTHRAX POLICY MEMOS, OSD GUIDANCE, AND CMC GUIDANCE MAY BE VIEWED AT WWW.VACCINES.ARMY.MIL OR THE HQMC SIPR WEBSITE WWW.HQMC. USMC.SMIL.MIL/PLN/PLN_HOME/HTM. 5. THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE.