Hundreds of Vials Labeled Influenza, Dengue Found at Lab
WASHINGTON D.C. (Worthy News)– The Food and Drug Administration recently uncovered over 300 additional vials containing pathogens such as dengue, influenza, and rickettsia by the same scientist that uncovered forgotten samples of smallpox raising concerns about the government’s ability to contain deadly pathogens.
Food and Drug Administration officials said Wednesday the undocumented collection contained 327 carefully packaged vials, listing pathogens like dengue, influenza and rickettsia. Last week the government only disclosed that it had recovered six glass vials of smallpox dating from the 1950s.
The new revelations raise serious concerns about the government’s ability to secure its collections of potentially deadly pathogens.
“The reasons why these samples went unnoticed for this long is something we’re actively trying to understand,” said FDA deputy director for biologics Dr. Peter Marks.
The samples, including those labeled smallpox, were found in 12 boxes in a corner of a cold storage room at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, that has been used by the Food and Drug Administration since 1972. FDA officials estimate the collection was assembled between 1946 and 1964 by government scientists. — Source