Biodefense Research Put on Hold

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The lab at Fort Detrick has level 4 status, which means it is authorized to handle and do research upon the most deadly known pathogens, such as anthrax. The fort has been involved in peacetime biological weapons research since World War II. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAUSA/Newscom

The Army just announced it is suspending almost all research with dangerous pathogens being carried out at its biodefense lab at Fort Detrick, Md., one of the largest facilities of its kind in the country.

The suspension is a result of inconsistencies in the lab’s records, which were revealed after an inventory review found that some pathogens stored at the base were not listed in the facility’s database.

The suspension, which could last as long as three months, will interrupt dozens of research projects while officials undertake a new inventory of all hazardous materials being used and stored at the lab.

The federal government tightened rules for working with toxic pathogens after the 2001 anthrax attacks. More than seven years later, serious questions remain as to how vulnerable the U.S. is to a bioterror attack. Last fall, FLYP partnered with ProPublica to examine the threat in Microbe Attack.