Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/new...eadly_diseases_due_to_ageing_laboratories.php
Poor maintenance and under-investment at British laboratories handling some of the world's most deadly diseases could lead to another devastating leak similar to the one in Surrey which led to last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak.
Parliament's Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee said there was a risk of another "devastating" leak like last year's foot-and-mouth escape from the animal health facility in Pirbright, Surrey, unless biosecurity was taken more seriously.
The committee singled out the "ageing" Health Protection Agency (HPA) laboratories at Porton Down in Wiltshire where it described the conditions as "not acceptable".
It called for the appointment of a single government minister to take responsibility for the co-ordination of biosecurity measures and the provision of "high containment" laboratories.
In all, there are 10 sites in the UK working with the most dangerous pathogens, classified as CL4, with a further 600 operating at the next level down with CL3 pathogens.
The committee said that while some facilities were world-class, others had been neglected and were in need of significant investment.
"The costs to human or animal health and to the economy of a breach of biosecurity at a high-containment laboratory are devastating, as seen at Pirbright in 2007," it said.
"We urge all those who fund high-containment research to consider more seriously the cost of maintaining and running high-containment laboratories. All funders of high-containment laboratories must ensure that long-term funding for running costs is provided, sustained and protected to ensure risk management can take place effectively.
"The government has a particular responsibility in this regard."
It said that decisions were needed urgently on the funding of the redevelopment of the Pirbright site while the Department of Health should consider the redevelopment of the HPA facility at Porton Down as a matter of priority.
"It is not acceptable that scientists at HPA Porton Down are asked to work in such ageing facilities," it said.
The committee said that ministers needed to take a firmer grip on biosecurity with a single minister appointed to take overall responsibility for the issue across government.
"We are disturbed that ministers have not met to discuss the issue of biosecurity, especially given that no organisation or government department has oversight in this area or responsibility for planning for future requirements, for example in the areas of surge capacity and anti-terrorist provision," it said.
The committee also called for improved vetting of staff working at high-containment laboratories.
"Security-vetting is intended to minimise the risks of deliberate misuse of dangerous pathogenic material," it said.
"We therefore recommend the government provide access to government vetting programmes so all those working with CL4 pathogens can be reliably security vetted to a consistent, high standard."
? All rights reserved.
Poor maintenance and under-investment at British laboratories handling some of the world's most deadly diseases could lead to another devastating leak similar to the one in Surrey which led to last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak.
Parliament's Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee said there was a risk of another "devastating" leak like last year's foot-and-mouth escape from the animal health facility in Pirbright, Surrey, unless biosecurity was taken more seriously.
The committee singled out the "ageing" Health Protection Agency (HPA) laboratories at Porton Down in Wiltshire where it described the conditions as "not acceptable".
It called for the appointment of a single government minister to take responsibility for the co-ordination of biosecurity measures and the provision of "high containment" laboratories.
In all, there are 10 sites in the UK working with the most dangerous pathogens, classified as CL4, with a further 600 operating at the next level down with CL3 pathogens.
The committee said that while some facilities were world-class, others had been neglected and were in need of significant investment.
"The costs to human or animal health and to the economy of a breach of biosecurity at a high-containment laboratory are devastating, as seen at Pirbright in 2007," it said.
"We urge all those who fund high-containment research to consider more seriously the cost of maintaining and running high-containment laboratories. All funders of high-containment laboratories must ensure that long-term funding for running costs is provided, sustained and protected to ensure risk management can take place effectively.
"The government has a particular responsibility in this regard."
It said that decisions were needed urgently on the funding of the redevelopment of the Pirbright site while the Department of Health should consider the redevelopment of the HPA facility at Porton Down as a matter of priority.
"It is not acceptable that scientists at HPA Porton Down are asked to work in such ageing facilities," it said.
The committee said that ministers needed to take a firmer grip on biosecurity with a single minister appointed to take overall responsibility for the issue across government.
"We are disturbed that ministers have not met to discuss the issue of biosecurity, especially given that no organisation or government department has oversight in this area or responsibility for planning for future requirements, for example in the areas of surge capacity and anti-terrorist provision," it said.
The committee also called for improved vetting of staff working at high-containment laboratories.
"Security-vetting is intended to minimise the risks of deliberate misuse of dangerous pathogenic material," it said.
"We therefore recommend the government provide access to government vetting programmes so all those working with CL4 pathogens can be reliably security vetted to a consistent, high standard."
? All rights reserved.