Cipro is not the only drug approved for anthrax. It is the only one whose approval specifically mentioned inhalation anthrax or terrorism, but penicillin and doxycycline are both widely available, approved for anthrax, and have been effective in past outbreaks.

Why then has Cipro gotten so much publicity?

Well governments preparing for biological warfare have bred anthrax strains that are resistant to penicillin and dyxycycline. Cipro was a new drug that would handle anthrax which there weren't resistant strains to. However the current outbreak is from a strain which is not believed to be resistant to the existing drugs, and besides which if the terrorists have the resources to breed resistant strains then it is as easy to develop Cipro resistance as anything else.

So we have generic drugs available that meet the need as well as Cipro. Publicity notwithstanding, the government should go with those before selectively rewriting the rules.

Cheers,
Ben