§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the retention of samples of smallpox-related material. [88274]
§ Ms Jowell[pursuant to her reply, 6 July 1999, c. 494]: The recently published report by the United States of America Institute of Medicine presents strong arguments for the retention of smallpox stocks, which we accept. Since the eradication of naturally occurring smallpox over 20 years ago, very few people have been immunised against smallpox. It is vital before the virus stocks are destroyed that investigations of the genetic structure and pathogenesis of smallpox are carried out to ensure that we have all the information we need to protect the population should smallpox re-emerge as a threat in the future. We are advised that this work requires the retention of the smallpox vaccine stocks and that their retention will also allow the development of effective anti-viral treatments and new vaccines.
We will be working with the World Health Organisation to develop and take forward research on these issues.