WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2007
More U.S. Labs Mishandling Deadly Germs
Review Finds Increasing Number Of Incidents Involving Anthrax, Other Toxins
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ILC Dover technician William Ayrey is seen in a self-contained biosuit in Frederica, Del., Monday Oct. 1, 2007. Suits made by ILC Dover, and other manufacturers, are worn in the highest security level laboratories that work with dangerous germs and toxins. (AP Photo/ Gary Emeigh)
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Interactive Anthrax Follow the search for the anthrax attacker, learn about the bacteria's use as a bio-weapon and find out how you can get infected and what it does to your body.
No one died, and regulators said the public was never at risk during these incidents. But the documented cases reflect poorly on procedures and oversight at high-security labs, some of which work with organisms and poisons so dangerous that illnesses they cause have no cure. In some cases, labs have failed to report accidents as required by law.
The mishaps include workers bitten or scratched by infected animals, skin cuts, needle sticks and more, according to a review by The Associated Press of confidential reports submitted to federal regulators. They describe accidents involving anthrax, bird flu virus, monkeypox and plague-causing bacteria at 44 labs in 24 states. More than two-dozen incidents were still under investigation.
The number of accidents has risen steadily. Through August, the most recent period covered in the reports obtained by the AP, labs reported 36 accidents and lost shipments during 2007 - nearly double the number reported during all of 2004.
Research labs have worked for years to find cures and treatments for diseases. However, the expansion of the lab network has been dramatic since President Bush announced an upgrade of the nation's bio-warfare defense program five years ago. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which funds much of the lab research and construction, was spending spent about $41 million on bio-defense labs in 2001. By last year, the spending had risen to $1.6 billion.
The number of labs approved by the government to handle the deadliest substances has nearly doubled to 409 since 2004. Labs are routinely inspected by federal regulators just once every three years, but accidents trigger interim inspections.
"It may be only a matter of time before our nation has a public health incident with potentially catastrophic results," said Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce investigations subcommittee. Stupak's panel has been investigating the lab incidents and will conduct a hearing Thursday.
Lab accidents have affected the outside world: Britain's health and safety agency concluded there was a "strong probability" a leaking pipe at a British lab manufacturing vaccines for foot-and-mouth disease was the source of an outbreak of the illness in livestock earlier this year. Britain was forced to suspend exports of livestock, meat and milk products and destroy livestock. The disease does not infect humans.
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Accidents aren't the only concern. While medical experts consider it unlikely that a lab employee will become sick and infect others, these labs have strict rules to prevent anyone from stealing organisms or toxins and using them for bioterrorism.It may be only a matter of time before our nation has a public health incident with potentially catastrophic results.
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich.The reports were so sensitive the Bush administration refused to release them under the Freedom of Information Act, citing an anti-bioterrorism law aimed at preventing terrorists from locating stockpiles of poisons and learning who handles them.
Among the previously undisclosed accidents:
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- Our only defense against these threats is education on what, where and how to help prevent illnesses and deaths from exposure to these "Accidents". Anthrax, ebola virus, botulism, ecoli. . .what''s next, where and when? Learn how to help protect yourselves before it''s too late for you or a loved one. http://www.betterlivesshopsilver.here.ws/
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- Now if they would just hunt down and catch the monsters who did the anthrax attack and killed all those innocent people and scared almost everybody else that would be really good.
Posted by CBS_Oliver at 03:27 PM
How interesting that this subject is hardly discussed anymore. When it first happened everyone was suspecting that Iraq had developed the anthrax spores. But then it was discovered to have been developed in some lab right here in the US. A few people were investigated, but the story has all but dried up and went away. Innocent people died, but the truth will always come out. - Reply to this comment
- The - Federal Government - Has been purposely and intentionally killing people in the United States for Decades
Viruses - Bacterial Agents - Deadly Toxins
Sprayed over - Unknowingly Civilian Populated Areas
Purposely injected into the Nation''s Water supply and Food chain
You people forget - April 28, 2007 - ABC News
Perchlorate, a chemical used in rocket fuel, is turning up in The nation''s Food and Water supply. Centers for Disease Control last year found perchlorate in every single person tested
One of the reports - I became more familiar with - was the report of (07 thu 10 July, 1966:) Federal Agents - Dumping a : Flu Virus -
Into the New York subway system. Later reports claimed the : The US Army dumped : The Virus
I tend to believe the Initial and the First reports - Federal Agents dumped the virus.
IE : 1966 July 7-10, The virus Bacillus subtilis was released throughout the New York subway system, Due to the vast number of people exposed it would virtually impossible to identify, let alone prove, and specific health problems resulting directly from this.
In 1967 - it was rumored - Federal Agents - Dumped a Flu Virus into : The San Francisco - Los Angeles and Sea-Tac Airport''s
Research :
A History Timeline of Population Control
copy and paste (Google)
Today this should be - Considered a : "Terrorist Attack"
But it is not ! !
The Nazis : Performed the same Type of : Medical Eexperiments.
Lastdance - Reply to this comment
- Having worked for several years at the Los Alamos National Lab, where accountability is non-existent, due to unqualifed scientists being promoted to manager, there is nothing new in this story that we all dont already know. WAKE UP AMERICAN!
Close the Los Alamos National Lab! Los Alamos is an extension of all the needless government waste eminating from the GOP Congress of 1994-2006, thanks to (R) Sen. Pete Dominici. - Reply to this comment
- toldyouso21 Dear is this yer field of study...What is wrong here.
- Reply to this comment
- Why doesnt CBS tell the public why this is happening. Most all of these high security bio sites are on various nuclear energy sites around the country.
Congressional over-sight is limited because of the location of the bio weapons more than any other reason.
CBS if you want to stir the poop really stir it. Its good this subject is discusssed but get all the information out on the table. - Reply to this comment
- Ahhh and the U.S. is concerned about terrorists? I think they will end up killing themselves (and possibly everyone else) before the terrorists get them.
- Reply to this comment
- I''m glad to see that that releases of bio agents are being looked at more carefully.
They have unpleasant potential for being used by enemies to terrorize or kill us and also to be used by rogue elements in our own government to present a phoney excuse for war or for suspending normal laws or both.
Now if they would just hunt down and catch the monsters who did the anthrax attack and killed all those innocent people and scared almost everybody else that would be really good. - Reply to this comment
- You know it only takes one time to get it right just once and then it spreads. So when these mad men make hel1 on earth then you will say but what happened and God will say time for a new comedy channel. Good bye and good luck.
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Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
