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U.S. Labs See Rise In Toxin Mishaps

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The Associated Press

Published: October 3, 2007

WASHINGTON - American laboratories handling the world's deadliest germs and toxins have experienced more than 100 accidents and missing shipments since 2003, and the number is increasing as more labs do the work.

No one died, and regulators said the public wasn't at risk during the incidents. But the cases reflect poorly on procedures and oversight at high-security labs, some of which work with organisms and poisons that can cause illnesses with 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. They describe accidents involving anthrax, bird flu virus, monkeypox and plague-causing bacteria at 44 labs in 24 states. About two-dozen mishaps were under investigation.

The number of accidents has risen steadily. Through August, the most recent period covered in the reports, labs reported 36 accidents and lost shipments during 2007 - nearly double the number reported during all of 2004.

Likewise, the number of labs approved by the government to handle the deadliest substances has nearly doubled to 409 since 2004, and there are now 15 of the highest-security labs. Labs are routinely inspected by federal regulators once every three years, but accidents trigger interim inspections.

In a new report by congressional investigators, the Government Accountability Office said little is known about labs that aren't federally funded or don't work with the 72 dangerous substances the government monitors most closely.

'No single federal agency ... has the mission to track the overall number of these labs in the United States,' said the GAO's report, expected to be released this week. 'Consequently, no agency is responsible for determining the risks associated with the proliferation of these labs.'

The House Energy and Commerce investigations subcommittee plans hearings on the issue Thursday.

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