Date: July 13, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Scaled-Back NBAF and
NBAF as Designed Are Options That Could Meet Critical U.S. Lab
Needs as Part of Integrated National Strategy to Protect Animal
and Public Health WASHINGTON — It is "imperative" that the U.S.
build a large-animal biocontainment laboratory to protect animal
and public health, says a new report by the National Research
Council. Two options that could meet long-term needs include the
National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) facility as
currently designed, or a scaled-back version tied to a
distributed laboratory network. Until such a facility opens that
is authorized to work with highly contagious foot-and-mouth
disease, the Plum Island Animal Disease Center located off Long
Island should remain in operation to address ongoing needs. The
report concludes that there are important drawbacks for the
U.S., should it rely solely on international laboratories to
meet large animal Biosafety Level 4 needs in the long term. The
proposed NBAF in Manhattan