Using a committee established by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the IOM provided advice to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and program managers on selected aspects of pre-event smallpox vaccination program implementation.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The Committee reviewed and made recommendations to CDC and the vaccine program managers to improve:

1. CDC guidelines and instruments to identify potential vaccine recipients at high risk of vaccine adverse events and complications,
2. CDC measures to ensure the early recognition, evaluation, and appropriate treatment of adverse events and complications of smallpox vaccination,
3. CDC plans for collecting and analyzing data on vaccine immunogenicity, adverse events, complications, and vaccine coverage,
4. the informed consent process for vaccine recipients,
5. professional education and training materials,
6. communication plans developed by CDC for public health and medical professionals and the public,
7. state smallpox vaccination implementation plans, and
8. the achievement of overall goals of the smallpox vaccination program (e.g. vaccine coverage rate, equity of access, adverse reaction rates, etc.).