Agency’s commitment to safety an external agency expert has put together a report on lab safety at U.S centers for disease and control and prevention. The report was created by external laboratory science and research after investigating CDC labs, conducting meetings with CDC staff and a surveying about the laboratory safety culture.
The report revealed that U.S centers for disease and control and prevention (CDC) safety commitment is inadequate, inconsistent and insufficient and it is losing its credibility
The advisory committee was made in July following two mishaps and other issues happened in CDC inorder to measure the lab safety.
In May, the samples of avian influenza were mixed with the samples of H5N1 influenza accidently and sent to USDA lab.
In June employees in bioterrorism lab were working with anthrax virus. If any mistake in sterilization would have put them at risk.
In December, employees in the Ebola lab were potentially exposed to that virus when a technician mistakenly transported the wrong specimens from a high-level lab to a lower-level lab.
After each incident many internal investigations were done and various changes were recommended like certifications required transferring samples from one lab to other, cameras added to some labs.
The advisory panel concerned that the CDC may lose its credibility its working on to reduce lab safety risks and improve the culture of safety.
The panel has recommended all CDC labs to go through an external review and accreditation process.