The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that it will be launching a thorough review of safety and security regulations implemented in bioterror labs following an investigation that prompted Congress to look into how effective the agency is.
Tom Frieden, CDC Director, ordered the review as documents obtained during the investigation showed that agency inspectors let labs continue experiments on bioterror pathogens even when inspection requirements were not met over and over. Sometimes, the lapses go on for years.
"This review will be wide-ranging and includes a review of regulatory authority and the exercise of that authority so that we can identify potential modifications to the methods used to inspect labs," said the agency.
Next week, a House Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee is planning to hold a hearing regarding the oversight of CDC's select-agent labs, with particular focus on samples of live anthrax being shipped out from a Utah facility under the Department of Defense. "Select agent" refers to bacteria, toxins and viruses that pose high risk to public health or agriculture or can be potentially used as biological weapons.
Committee leaders are hopeful that the decision to launch a review shows that the CDC is finally taking seriously the issue at hand. While the agency's intent to investigate is laudable, there is some skepticism as previous CDC assessments were not able to fully address root problems giving rise to safety lapses.
Earlier in July, bipartisan leaders from the full committee as well as its investigations subcommittee sent letters to the CDC, Department of Health enforcement officials and the office of the Human Services inspector general to demand that a list of the research labs that have been potentially compromised because of safety violations be released. The leaders were requesting as well that more information be provided regarding the oversight on select agents.
Hundreds of accidents in biological labs have been uncovered by a USA TODAY investigation to have occurred all over the country in recent years. The investigation also revealed that secrecy rampantly obscures failures in ensuring facilities are operating according to security and safety protocol. Some of the problems that occurred, according to the investigation, include airflow system failures and power outages.
Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture | Flickr
