The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has paused operations at a high-security lab at Fort Detrick due to repeated safety violations, including a serious incident where a researcher deliberately compromised protective equipment. The lab, which conducts research on deadly infectious diseases like SARS-CoV-2 and Ebola, is part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The pause, which began at 5 p.m. on a Tuesday, was partly due to an incident involving personal conflicts among the staff, leading to unsafe behavior. The facility's director, Connie Schmaljohn, was placed on administrative leave for failing to promptly report the incident, reflecting a broader poor safety culture allegedly fostered by the previous administration. The duration of the research halt is currently unknown, with access restricted to essential personnel only during this period.

HHS has halted research at Fort Detrick's Integrated Research Facility due to repeated safety violations, including a recent incident involving deliberate damage to personal protective equipment by a researcher following a personal conflict.

The lab is involved in high-stakes research on infectious diseases like SARS-CoV-2 and Ebola and is one of the few facilities in North America capable of such work. It operates under the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The decision to pause work at the facility came after an HHS official, under anonymity, highlighted systemic safety issues that have persisted since the Biden administration, attributed to a poor safety culture.

Connie Schmaljohn, the director of the facility, was placed on administrative leave for delaying the reporting of the safety incident, which exacerbated the situation.

The safety pause will halt all research activities and restrict facility access to essential personnel, though the timeline for resuming operations remains uncertain.