On Dec. 19, 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved changes in the schedule for administering anthrax vaccine (BioThrax, manufactured by Emergent BioSolutions) and in the route of administration.

The changes allowed a new schedule for the vaccine: five intramuscular (IM) doses compared with the previous regimen of six subcutaneous doses.  The vaccine is required for U.S. military members who are deployed to the Middle East, but some have objected to the vaccine because of side effects.