Israel has completed the development of a new vaccination against Anthrax. The leading Israeli daily, Yediot Ahronot reported that the vaccination development was amongst the most secretive projects, and lasted approximately one decade. It was lately completed in the laboratories of the Israeli Biology Institute near Tel Aviv. According to the newspaper, it was revealed that the vaccine is effective following several test phases.
Currently, the new vaccine is not produced on a commercial basis, but experts from the science community assess that it would take a few months to produce enough of the vaccine for the entire population of Israel. This is only the third time that it has been reported that a nation has developed an anthrax vaccine. Prior to Israel, only the U.S. and Russia developed such a vaccine, but the U.S. refuses to distribute its anthrax vaccine to its entire population. In the past, America refused to provide such kits to outside nations.
The Yediot Ahronot report adds that the new vaccine was developed by genetic engineering. It was first tested on Israeli troops that volunteered to test it on their bodies.
This recent report is not the first about Israeli attempts to develop anthrax vaccinations. A few months prior, an American professional magazine published by a U.S.-based microbiology company reported on this topic. In that magazine, it was written that Dr. Abigdor Shafarman headed the Israeli anti-anthrax research. The magazine added that Israeli scientists used an ‘unviolent’ anthrax strain that was used to generate antibodies to anthrax. At that time, the effectiveness of the new vaccination was tested on animals. The Jerusalem Post has reported recently that the Israeli military has stepped up anti-ABC (Atomic, Biological and Chemical) warfare exercises. The only U.S.-maker of anthrax vaccine is BioPort Lab. (Albawaba.com)
