Sailors refusing anthrax vaccine picketed by peers


The Australian Navy has been accused of using standover tactics on sailors
being sent home after refusing anthrax vaccinations.

Luis Lim says his step-daughter is one of the sailors sent home from the
Persian Gulf for refusing the injections.

Mr Lim says the sailors are being treated terribly.

"The crew members who remained chastised them, accused them of being
cowards," he said.

"The senior officers on the ship have told them that they are not welcome on
the ship, not even to attend the ship's vale, and some other personnel have
said that they should have their medals taken away from them for service
that they've already participated in."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/justin/nat/newsnat-13feb2003-48.htm

Sailors treated unfairly: AMA chief
13Feb03 AUSTRALIAN troops should have been warned of the anthrax vaccination on land where they had access to independent medical advice, Australian Medical Association president Kerryn Phelps has said.

Eleven sailors have been removed from Australian warships enroute to the Persian Gulf because they refused to be inoculated against anthrax.

"They should have asked for their consent prior to sailing, then they would have had the opportunity to get independent medical advice from a GP or an infectious disease specialist," Dr Phelps said today.


"They would have had the opportunity then to exert their civil rights and say: 'I do not want to be vaccinated' and then the Kanimbla could have been appropriately manned with people who were prepared to have the vaccine."


Dr Phelps was not convinced by US assurances that the vaccine was safe.


"Let's see their evidence," she said.


"I'd be asking some of my colleagues in infectious diseases about the risk of the vaccine (before I'd take it)."


She said she intended to ask the Royal College of Physicians for an opinion on the risks of the vaccine.


"So what do you do? Pop a whole lot of people on a ship, send them off into the middle of the ocean and then say: 'Oh, by the way, sign this consent form to say that you've been fully informed about the risks of this vaccine'.


"I don't think that's fair."


This report appears on news.com.au.