Thousands of Urine and Tissue Samples Are in Danger of Rotting After Staff Cuts at a CDC Laboratory
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Summary
Up to two-thirds of staff working for the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have been laid off or placed on administrative leave, leaving thousands of biological samples, including human urine, rodent organs and previously frozen tissue facing destruction.
The samples, stored in fridges and liquid nitrogen, are part of experiments to determine how Americans are affected by chemicals and other substances they are exposed to in the workplace.
Without intervention, the samples will rot due to lack of refrigeration, with one NIOSH worker telling Wired: “That clock is ticking, and every day is closer”.
Researchers also fear that millions of dollars’ worth of testing machinery could go to waste, with equipment having to be frequently used, calibrated and serviced to ensure it works properly.
The cuts to the NIOSH workforce form part of a wider reduction in force (RIF) by the Trump administration, which has seen 10,000 HHS employees terminated with the aim of saving $1bn.
