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 steadily as more labs across the country are approved to do the work.
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The number of accidents has risen steadily. Through August, the most recent period covered in the reports obtained by the AP, labs reported 36 accidents and lost shipments during 2007 — nearly double the number reported during all of 2004.
Research labs have worked for years to find cures and treatments for diseases. However, the expansion of the lab network has been dramatic since President Bush announced an upgrade of the nation's bio-warfare defense program five years ago...
The number of labs approved by the government to handle the deadliest substances has nearly doubled to 409 since 2004.
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"The risk that a killer agent could be set loose in the general population is real," Hammond said.
More of that GWOT outsourcing. I'm especially intrigued by the "missing shipments" aspect, though that's not really looked into in this story.
List of some previously undisclosed accidents at the link...
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