High-Containment Laboratories: Preliminary Observations on Federal Efforts to Address Weaknesses Exposed by Recent Safety Lapses
Abstract
Recent safety lapses at high-containment laboratories raise questions about how federal departments and agencies manage high-risk biological agents. DOD and CDC both conduct research on high-risk biological agents at their respective laboratories. Biosafety and biosecurity practices in these laboratories are intended to reduce exposure to, and prevent loss, theft, or misuse of, biological agents. CDC regulates the possession, use, and transfer of certain biological agents that pose potentially severe threats to public health under the select agent program. This statement summarizes (1) preliminary observations from ongoing GAO work on federal laboratories biosafety and biosecurity policies and practices and (2) GAOs past work on oversight of high-containment laboratories. To conduct ongoing and past work, GAO reviewed documentation and interviewed federal agency officials, including those from DOD and CDC, about policies and procedures for high-containment laboratories; efforts to monitor compliance and evaluate effectiveness of biosafety and biosecurity policies and practices; and the status of federal oversight activities. GAO has previously made recommendations to agencies to enhance biosafety and biosecurity. Because this work is preliminary, GAO is making no new recommendations at this time. GAO shared preliminary observations from this statement with DOD and CDC and incorporated comments as appropriate.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 28, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1169061
Entities
People
- Cheryl Arvidson
- Colleen Corcoran
- Dan Royer
- Elaine Vaurio
- Jennifer Whitworth
- John Neumann
- Karen Doran
- Marcia G. Crosse
- Mary Denigan-macauley
- Melissa Duong
- Nick Bartine
- Shana R. Deitch
- Sushil Sharma
- Terrance Jr Horner
- Timothy M. Persons
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office