| It very well could be real, but for now it's the latest | | | | vaccinations to protect us from smallpox bioterrorist |
| heart-pounding fiction book, Sledgehammer, about a | | | | attacks," says Dr. Reyes. "At the very least the |
| terrorist who arrives in the ER with smallpox | | | | Federal Government should allow voluntary |
| symptoms. An ER physician suspects it but has just | | | | vaccinations of the first responders which should |
| six days to convince hospital executives and the U.S. | | | | include all hospital medical staff. The President and the |
| Government before an epidemic breaks out. | | | | military have been vaccinated. Why shouldn't the |
| The story is brought vividly to life by Dr. Paulo J. | | | | American public?" |
| Reyes who obtained his MD at the UCSF School of | | | | Dr. Reyes also authored Health-Care Reform or |
| Medicine, has 25 years in medicine and internal | | | | Redistribution of Cost? and in his research of the |
| medicine and is a First Responder for the busiest | | | | health care system, he has seen its shortcomings. |
| cities in California specifically in terrorists training. | | | | Realizing there is clear and present danger of a |
| In Sledgehammer, the lead character, Max Kroose, an | | | | terrorist attack in the health care system has |
| intuitive emergency room physician, believes terrorists | | | | prompted him to support voluntary smallpox |
| are to blame for the attack and fears the more lethal | | | | vaccinations. |
| form of smallpox, called Sledgehammer, will kill within | | | | The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) considers |
| days. As time progresses, the terrorists planned | | | | smallpox as a possible danger and includes it as one |
| attacks at a sports arena, mall and airport must be | | | | of the possible agents of a bioterrorist attack, in its |
| stopped. The question becomes can this ER doctor | | | | website under the subheading Emergency |
| convince the hospital administration and the public | | | | Preparedness and Response along with anthrax, |
| health care system about the presence of this deadly | | | | plague, and tularemia. |
| disease and the need to vaccinate the American | | | | Reyes believes the Federal Government should |
| public. You won't be able to stop reading as you seek | | | | consider a trial program to detect the presence of |
| to find out the truth in this non-stop thriller. | | | | the virus - similar to a pregnancy test - so if the |
| How big a threat is smallpox? "The Federal | | | | disease presents itself, it will be detected before it |
| Government should allow voluntary smallpox | | | | becomes an epidemic or pandemic. |