San Antonio Express-News 11 November 2007
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA111007.03B.Guerra.3230773 .html Carlos Guerra: Nation lacks a clearinghouse to monitor increase in biolabs Web Posted: 11/09/2007 10:36 PM CST San Antonio Express-News This is the second of a series on San Antonio's role in the mushrooming biodefense industry. Since the anthrax scare of 2001 and the invasion of Iraq, the proliferation of U.S. labs that are researching biohazardous agents that might be "weaponized" has been mind-boggling. The mention of "bioweapons" usually conjures images of organic agents being aimed at humans to kill or incapacitate them. But there is also great concern about potential bioweapons being used to attack food supplies or other agricultural products that are critical. Another specter raised to justify this massive proliferation is that growing sophistication in the biosciences is making it possible to alter pathogens or create new ones that are immune to known counter-agents. These new possibilities, expansion proponents argue, make it necessary that we expand research massively and quickly. But developing "defenses," detractors counter, requires handling the pathogens themselves. Uncontrolled expansion of labs with inadequate supervision is increasing the chances for accidents or insider attacks. These biolabs are categorized by "biosecurity levels." BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs handle relatively safe materials that might be found in high school and college labs. BSL-3 labs handle agents whose potential for danger to researchers and the public is sufficient that they must have special containment mechanisms to prevent release of the toxins. Their researchers are also required to wear protective garments and to observe strict protocols and report accidents. The most dangerous are the BSL-4 labs, of which there are now only four, though more are planned or being developed. In these labs, containment requirements and lab and reporting protocols are much stricter, and researchers must also be carefully screened. The scientists must also wear air-tight suits equipped with their own air supplies. All of this is needed because they work with agents for which there are no vaccines or cures. In written testimony given in October to the U.S. House subcommittee that oversees these labs, Edward Hammond, director of the U.S. office of the Sunshine Project, tried to quantify the growth of BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs as well as he could. Since 2003, he later said in an interview, his group has been amassing information on labs conducting this type of research. But he added that even his information is incomplete because many university and privately funded labs report to no one. And federal funding comes from the National Institutes of Health and the Departments of Defense, Agriculture and Homeland Security, each of which imposes its own reporting requirements. What's more, there is no national information clearinghouse, and federal agencies often call his group for that. "The incomplete list of new (BSL-3 and BSL-4) labs constitutes nearly 4 million square feet of new facilities, about 90 acres of space," he testified. "In perhaps a more recognizable measure, this is the equivalent of 36 typical 'big box' stores for the study of biological weapons and other dangerous agents," he continued. "Placed end to end, with no space in between, the row of stores would stretch 2.25 miles." One of the BSL-4 labs is San Antonio's Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, which operated a high-security lab as early as the 1970s, and which has been a full-blown BSL-4 facility since the late 1990s. It also maintains colonies of thousands of primates, which are valuable tools because they are so genetically close to humans. SFBR is a big reason San Antonio is a finalist for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, a mega BSL-4 operation. We will look more closely at SFBR and the other consortium members, and delve into why this proposed facility has grown so controversial. ____________________________________________________________ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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