TY - JOUR
T1 - The Eradication of Smallpox
AU - Smith, Gardner W.
AU - Sandford, John L.
AU - Hillard, James R.
AU - Breman, Joel G.
PY - 1981/3/19
Y1 - 1981/3/19
N2 - To the Editor: In the November 27 issue Drs. Breman and Arita documented a truly epic accomplishment in the history of medicine: the deliberate and successful worldwide eradication of smallpox as a human disease. In the light of this signal success, they conclude that “smallpox vaccination is justified only for investigators who are at special risk.” Otherwise, the cessation of smallpox vaccination is recommended by the Global Commission, by WHO, and, tacitly, by the authors. It is a tragic commentary on our state of affairs that this recommendation is in fact inappropriate. On medical and epidemiologic grounds such a policy.
AB - To the Editor: In the November 27 issue Drs. Breman and Arita documented a truly epic accomplishment in the history of medicine: the deliberate and successful worldwide eradication of smallpox as a human disease. In the light of this signal success, they conclude that “smallpox vaccination is justified only for investigators who are at special risk.” Otherwise, the cessation of smallpox vaccination is recommended by the Global Commission, by WHO, and, tacitly, by the authors. It is a tragic commentary on our state of affairs that this recommendation is in fact inappropriate. On medical and epidemiologic grounds such a policy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0019884308&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1056/NEJM198103193041224
DO - 10.1056/NEJM198103193041224
M3 - Letter
C2 - 7464878
AN - SCOPUS:0019884308
SN - 0028-4793
VL - 304
SP - 735
EP - 736
JO - New England Journal of Medicine
JF - New England Journal of Medicine
IS - 12
ER -
