The Jordan Harbinger Show 958: Alison Young | Lab Leaks, Pandemics, and a World at Risk
Feb 29, 2024
Alison Young, author of Pandora's Gamble and a seasoned journalist on lab leaks, dives deep into the world of biological safety. She reveals how lab leaks, even in top facilities, are more common than one might think. Young discusses the complex and often murky nature of gain-of-function research, the dangers posed by poor safety practices, and the impact of misinformation on public perception. She also explores the political factors influencing transparency in China, particularly regarding the origins of COVID-19.
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Anthrax Brought Home
- A scientist brought anthrax home, infecting his wife with a facial lesion initially mistaken for a pimple.
- This highlights the risk of unintentional pathogen spread from labs to the community.
Lack of Reporting Requirements
- Shockingly, there's no universal requirement for reporting lab accidents in the US, unlike other industries.
- Only a small subset of labs working with the most dangerous pathogens have a reporting requirement.
Wastewater Spill
- Wastewater tanks at a US Army lab, known to leak, overflowed during flooding rains, releasing potentially contaminated water into a public stream.
- The lab delayed informing public health officials, increasing potential community exposure.
