PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
Slated End to BSO Funding Impacting
PHL Biosafety Programs
by Michael Marsico, MS, senior specialist, Biosafety and Biosecurity
Funding from the US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
for biosafety officer (BSO) positions
in public health laboratories (PHLs)
is slated to end in spring 2019, and
the impact is already being felt in
increased turnover for these positions.
According to the 2017 APHL Biosafety
and Biosecurity Survey, 21 PHLs (29.2%)
will not be able to maintain and enhance
biosafety and biosecurity activities at
their laboratory due to federal funding
cuts. They will lose a staff member
with a wealth of technical biosafety
knowledge and significant leadership
and communication skills who is solely
dedicated to improving laboratory safety.
According to the 2017 APHL
Biosafety and Biosecurity Survey,
21 PHLs (29.2%) will not be able
to maintain and enhance biosafety
and biosecurity activities at
their laboratory due to federal
funding cuts.
Over the three-year funding period,
BSOs have made enormous strides to
review and improve biosafety practices
and policies at PHLs and at clinical
laboratories in their jurisdictions. They
have developed online training modules
on laboratory security, implemented
incident response plans, convened
regional biosafety training workshop
for clinical laboratories and trained
thousands of clinical laboratory staff
in regulations for packaging and
shipping of infectious substances.
PublicHealthLabs
@APHL
“BSOs have become the backbone of the
effort to strengthen biosafety programs
in public health and clinical laboratories,
said Michael Pentella, PhD, D(ABMM),
director, State Hygienic Laboratory at the
University of Iowa. “They fill an education
gap on biosafety principles that is not
covered in most degree programs and
provide expert advice about specific
situations. They keep the conversation
going about biosafety so that it is not
lost with all the other priorities facing
laboratorians. Without the biosafety
officers, clinical and public health
laboratories would not have made any
progress since the Ebola events in 2014.”
Michael Stevenson, PhD, deputy director,
Idaho Bureau of Laboratories (IBL) echoed
Pentella’s comments. “Risk assessments
are important to minimize exposure
opportunities, and a biosafety officer,
chemical hygiene officer or general
lab safety officer can provide valuable
education, training and resources to
keep laboratorians safe when working
with hazards.”
Recognizing the critical importance of
BSOs, APHL will continue to support
them with resources and training
opportunities and to advocate for
dedicated, sustainable funding to
maintain their essential work. n
APHL.org
Biosafety Outreach Officer Ed Kopp from Florida Department
of Health, Bureau of Public Health Laboratories-Tampa
demonstrates air flow in a Biological Safety Cabinet.
Photo: BPHL-Tampa.
Fall 2018 LAB MATTERS
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