The recent release of deadly bacteria from Tulane National Primate Research Center 35 miles from New Orleans, and located near a school and a residential area, is yet another high-profile incident involving a government laboratory or a facility funded by the federal government. An investigation conducted by USA Today has determined that “despite weeks of investigation by multiple federal and state agencies, the cause of the release and the extent of the contamination remain unknown.”  This latest incident may have occurred sometime in the fall during research to develop a vaccine against Burkholderia pseudomallei, a potential bioterror agent — the … Continue reading