WASHINGTON – The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released its evaluation of the security measures deployed at the nation’s five biosafety level (BSL) 4 laboratories. Two of the labs were found to have inadequate protection.
Although the locations of the facilities were omitted in the report, news sources indicate the two institutions involved are Georgia State University and the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research.
The GAO report said the two labs had only four or three key required security controls. Both lacked visible deterrents and a means to respond to intrusion. One lab had a window that looked directly into the room where BSL-4 agents were handled. “In addition to creating the perception of vulnerability, the lack of key security controls at these labs means that security officials have fewer opportunities to stop an intruder or attacker,” the report claims.
Some of the security measures required of these facilities include perimeter barriers, roving armed guard patrols and magnetometers in use at lab entrances.
The GAO recommended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) enact improved security at the two locations. The report also prompted congressional representatives John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Joe Barton (R-Arlington, Va.) to urge quick action by the CDC. Dingell also asked the Bush administration to suspend construction of six more labs.
BSL 4 labs handle the world’s most dangerous agents and diseases, and only BSL 4 labs can work with agents for which no cure or treatment exists.
The summary of the GAO’s findings can be found at here.
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