Asahi: Institute admits lax handling of pathogens
A state laboratory [IPOD] handled hundreds of hazardous pathogens beyond its capabilities, ordered workers to keep the dangers secret, and did not tell part-timers about the potentially lethal risks... As of 2001, IPOD kept about 300 types of pathogens that could damage human health, including some considered as potentially lethal as the anthrax bacteria, according to internal documents obtained by the newspaper and other sources. Part-time workers at the facility were assigned to test and cultivate the pathogens in facilities not well equipped for infection prevention. A senior IPOD official who pointed out the risks to management was repeatedly told not to tell others...Shingo Ichimura admitted to the newspaper that IPOD did accept pathogens in violation of its rules and had (part-time) workers test them. "But we concluded that telling the truth would have given psychological damage to those who tested them without knowing anything," he said. "So we didn't tell them"...At Wednesday's news conference, Ichimura said AIST will try to locate former workers and apologize for "not telling the truth"...more...
Karma bitch