France - Institut Pasteur lost 2,349 vials containing samples of SARS virus - no infectious potential according to experts

[Pathfinder]

French scientists: We've lost SARS virus vials

Published: 14 Apr 2014 18:14 GMT+02:00
Updated: 14 Apr 2014 18:14 GMT+02:00
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France?s distinguished Institut Pasteur, which was among the first to isolate HIV in the 1980s, admitted on Monday that it has lost some 2,349 vials containing samples of the deadly SARS virus.

During a recent inventory researchers realized the vials were unaccounted for and so called in France?s drug and health safety agency "l'Agence nationale de s?curit? du m?dicament et des produits de sant?" to help with the search, according to a statement from Institut Pasteur

The drug and health safety people spent four days, from April 4th-12th, doing an ?in depth? investigation at the unnamed lab in question and came up empty handed as well.
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?The tubes concerned have no infectious potential,? according to the statement. ?Independent experts referred by health authorities have qualified the risk as ?nil? in regards to available evidence and literature on the survival of the SARS virus.?

http://www.thelocal.fr/20140414/french-scientists-we-lost-some-sars-virus

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: France - Institut Pasteur lost 2,349 vials containing samples of SARS virus - no infectious potential according to experts

L?Institut Pasteur files case over 2,000 mising samples of SARS virus

15/04 12:55 CET

L?Institut Pasteur has filed a case to the prosecutor of Paris to investigate the disappearance of more than 2,000 vials containing samples of the SARS virus.

The research institute announced to the public on Sunday (April 13) that some 29 tubes containing 2,349 fragments of the SARS virus (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) have been missing since January 2014, however it also reassured the public that the samples were not potentially infectious.
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The laboratory learned about the missing tubes during ?customary regulatory inventory procedures? but was not able to track the samples due to a ?deficiency in the tracking system.?
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Experts dismissed any possibility of misuse of the samples since none of the tubes contained a complete virus, merely fragments.
In an interview with Le Figaro, Br?chot also claimed that a deficiency in the laboratory?s stock freezer, that occurred in 2012, would have killed any possible viruses. Nonetheless, he proceeded with closing down the laboratory on Monday.

?Losing the samples is an unacceptable mistake,? explained Br?chot. ?We took a decision to inform the public. We want to be perfectly transparent. It is the first time that the institute has lost samples in this manner and it is entirely inadmissible.?
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http://www.euronews.com/2014/04/15/...-case-over-2000-mising-samples-of-sars-virus/

 

[Emily]

France: 29 boxes containing 2,349 vials of SARS virus samples missing

France: 29 boxes containing 2,349 vials of SARS virus samples missing

http://www.france24.com/en/20140416-paris-sars-samples-institute-pasteur/

Paris laboratory loses deadly SARS virus samples
Latest update : 2014-04-16

The Pasteur Institute in Paris has asked the authorities to investigate the disappearance of more than 2,000 vials containing fragments of the SARS virus, while insisting that missing samples represent no danger to the public.

The institute said it discovered the loss of 29 boxes containing 2,349 tiny vials during a routine inventory check...