{"id":45895,"date":"2019-08-08T15:05:59","date_gmt":"2019-08-08T15:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/08\/08\/the-cdc-shut-down-an-army-lab-thats-working-on-an-ebola-vaccine\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:27:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:27:05","slug":"the-cdc-shut-down-an-army-lab-thats-working-on-an-ebola-vaccine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2019\/08\/08\/the-cdc-shut-down-an-army-lab-thats-working-on-an-ebola-vaccine\/","title":{"rendered":"The CDC shut down an Army lab that\u2019s working on an Ebola vaccine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An Army lab that houses Ebola virus<\/a> and other infectious diseases<\/a> has been shutdown due to violations found in June by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a CDC spokeswoman confirmed to Army Times on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But officials say there were no associated health risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Army Medical Research of Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick<\/a>, Maryland, is at a standstill until the violations are fixed and it is re-instated with the Federal Select Agents Program, which allowed it to handle dangerous biological specimens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCDC can confirm FSAP has suspended USAMRIID\u2019s registration with the Federal Select Agent Program until USAMRIID corrects deficiencies that have been identified by FSAP,\u201d Sharon Hopkins said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hoskins did not provide further details of the lab\u2019s compliance issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lab\u2019s suspension began July 18, according to a USAMRIID spokeswoman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The issues stemmed from a May 2018 incident in which Fort Detrick\u2019s steam sterilization plant, which handles biowaste, failed. After that, the lab transitioned to a chemical system to treat wastewater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe new system necessitated numerous changes in laboratory infrastructure, procedures, and work practices that substantially increased the complexity of operating in containment laboratories,\u201d Caree Vander Linden told Army Times. \u201cMechanical issues and human error were among the issues cited by CDC in issuing the suspension.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, she added, there were no risks to employees, public health or the environment because of the lapses, and no infectious agents were found outside of the lab\u2019s containment areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

USAMRIID, a Defense Department lab under Army Medical Research and Development Command, primarily does research with the goal of protecting troops who might come in contact with biological agents while deployed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to their website, they also investigate outbreaks and other public health risks, with an eye toward prevention policy and treatments, if possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\t