The DHS recently chose Manhattan, Kansas, as the site for a new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility to replace the half-century-old Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York, the only US facility where researchers study live FMD virus (see AVMA news)
The US Government Accountability Office criticises the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) analyses.
According to the GAO report, DHS analyses did not adequately characterize and differentiate the relative risks of a release of FMD virus at Plum Island and five potential mainland sites for the new facility.
The GAO agreed with the DHS that modern containment technology has reduced the risk of an accidental pathogen release and that the safety of high-containment laboratories has improved, but the report noted evidence showing that accidents continue to result from human error or operational failure in facilities.
The DHS does not plan to re-open the site-selection process for the new research facility on the basis of the GAO report.
“Five US laboratories in populous areas operate at the highest biosafety level […] and none has exposed the public to a pathogen,” DHS said in a statement.
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