By Kate Klinck
The laboratory has been built, but it will not be open for research until at least 2009, and if some South End residents have their way, the doors may never open.
Susan Passoni, president of the Ellis Neighborhood Association, said the National Infectious Disease Laboratory bring new jobs to the area, but she worries about the dangers and plans for evacuation in the densely populated area of the Boston University Medical campus.
“The lab is located right next to 93,” Passoni said. “Anyone who’s driven in
As a result of two lawsuits, one filed by the state, and the other by the South End community, The Boston University Medical Campus delayed the Biolab’s scheduled 2008 opening, so risks of the lab can be properly assessed. A judge must properly decide whether the lab is safe to open.
The Blue Ribbon Panel, an advisory panel formed by the National Institute of Health, will asses risks such as how the infectious diseases will be transported, how they will be handled in the Biolab, and the effectiveness of the evacuation methods in the event of an accident.
Dr. Dennis L. Kasper, a member of the panel and professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at
“Things could go wrong in the lab, while diseases are being transported to the lab or even with someone who wants to do evil,” Kasper
said.
The Biolab will be a level four laboratory, which means it will research diseases that require the highest level of containment, such as naturally occurring infectious diseases and potential agents of bioterrorism, according to the Boston University Medical Campus National Emerging Infectious Diseases website. The research will be used to develop vaccines and therapeutics to fight the diseases. 
On Oct. 14, the panel held a meeting in the
Tabitha Bennett, the South End neighborhood coordinator said many residents attended the meeting to express their opinions to the panel.
“The people that were against it wanted their voices to be heard, and they wanted to speak out against it,” Bennett said. “I know that some of the benefits include jobs, especially in the biomedical and research field. The concerns with the lab are what are the risks involved, and what kind of safety precautions are going to be taken.”
Ellen Berlin, director of the corporate communications for the Boston University Medical Campus, said the lab will be open in February, and is scheduled to be open for research next year.
1 comment:
It's great to see Susan and Tabitha involved in the issues and concerns about BU-L4. I would like to know more about this South End Community Coordinator and see if I can be of any help. You see I live in the SouthEnd abd have been involved with Safety Net forver 4 yrs and as a matter of fact I'm a plaintiff in the Federal case. It would be great, Susan and Tabitha, if we could meet and join forces and present a unified South End Community. Afterall I haven't been meeting with city councilors,BU, CLC, the Blue Ribbon Panel, NIH, the Gov., written to Senators, and held community meetings, passed out fliers, spoken to the press, etc..so what do you say Susan should I give you a call?
Post a Comment