Sunday, September 14, 2008

Anthrax probe prompts feds to review lab security Scientists accustomed to working alone with deadly pathogens could be forced to buddy up in the laboratory as military officials and civilian contractors review security measures in the wake of the FBI's conclusions about the 2001 anthrax mailings. Some scientists object to expanding the "two-person" rule. They say besides the practical issues of having to work with someone else, placing a second person in the lab wouldn't prevent a scientist from sneaking out a smidgeon of material — under their fingernail, for example. Currently, rules already prohibit people from working alone in many of the most dangerous labs, reserved for biological agents such as the Ebola virus that lack vaccines or other treatments. Now, Army officials and civilian contractors are considering expanding the rule to labs with pathogens that aren't quite as dangerous, but can still be deadly, such as anthrax, West Nile virus and tuberculosis....

No comments: