Continuing assistance to the National Institutes of Health on preparation of additional risk assessments for the Boston University NEIDL, phase 1

Author / Creator

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Continuing Assistance to the National Institutes of Health on Preparation of Additional Risk Assessments for the Boston University NEIDL

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Summary

In 2003, the Boston University Medical Center (BUMC) was awarded a $128 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to build a national high- and maximum-containment laboratory facil...

In 2003, the Boston University Medical Center (BUMC) was awarded a $128 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to build a national high- and maximum-containment laboratory facility for research on biological pathogens. This National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory (NEIDL) is meant to support the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' biodefense research agenda, conducting research to develop new approaches to treating, preventing, and diagnosing a variety of bacterial and viral diseases. The location of the facility on Albany Street in Boston's South End has been controversial, and there have been numerous public meetings and 3 leagal actions over the plans for the facility. The NIH engaged the Committee on Technical Input on the NIH's Draft Supplementary Risk Assessment and Site Suitability Analyses (DSRASSA) for the Boston University NEIDL to prepare draft supplementary risk assessment reports. Information contained in the draft risk assessments may include data on agents, models, and scenarios; preliminary modeling results; and quantitative and qualitative assessments. Documents reviewed and discussed at will be made available to the public. Brief letter reports on the preliminary results of the supplementary risk analyses, focusing on whether the analyses are scientifically and technically sound in general and whether they address the public health concerns previously raised by the NRC in its review of the July 2007 DSRASSA. These letter reports will be made available to the public.

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