Defense Tech: BOSTON BIO-BOTCH: GET READY FOR MORE: "Boston was only the beginning. With so many biodefense labs being built across the country, you can expect to see more news like the weekend's revelation that three Boston University lab workers were infected with tularemia, or rabbit fever.

Since the 2001 anthrax attacks, the federal government has been pouring money into labs that research the deadliest of bioagents. 'Currently there are four [maximum security] Biosafety Level 4 laboratories nationwide, with six more planned,' the New York Times notes. '50 laboratories operate at Biosafety Level 3, sufficient to work with anthrax, and 19 more are planned at universities and government institutions, according to the Sunshine Project, a Texas group that is tracking the growth.'

With these labs flowering so quickly, 'hundreds of inexperienced researchers [are being drawn] into work with hazardous organisms,' the Times adds. Security is being compromised, as a result. "

...

"Now, all of this might be perfectly acceptable, if these labs were really helping to save lives. But that's a questionable proposition, at best. Because many of the agents being investigated at these labs are only marginal threats to public health."

(Via a DefenseTech.)