Germs Gone Wild: How the Unchecked Development of Domestic Bio-Defense Threatens America

by Kenneth King

A shocking exposé of the reckless proliferation of bio-weapon research and the threat this poses to everyday Americans. Battling a new generation of corporate giants and uncovering threats right in our own backyard, Kenneth King’s Germs Gone Wild reveals the massive expansion of America's bio-defense research labs and the culture of deception surrounding hundreds of facilities that have opened since 9/11.

King experienced the menace of bio-defense research firsthand when local government and business leaders tried to lure a new facility to his hometown in Kentucky. Researching the safety claims, he not only found many of them to be completely false, but was also horrified by the lack of oversight and the recklessness with which these labs genetically modified pathogens like smallpox, Ebola, and influenza without a care for what happened to the public if there was ever a “leak.”

And yet the greed that drove the development of these labs has effectively counteracted any cautionary checks by the government and universities. All have been seduced by the economic gains and corporate stipends that come with compliance and turning a blind eye. But now, the reality of these labs and the germs they manipulate will finally be brought to light, as King examines the controversies surrounding plants from Maryland to Boston and Utah, to the Department of Homeland Security’s dubious National Bio-and-Agro-Facility (NBAF) project, and the precautions―or lack thereof―being taken to protect us all from a deadly pandemic.

Genres: Audiobook

516 pages, Paperback

First published July 20, 2010

Reviews

[Zora]

I suspect there might be some important truth to tell about this topic, but this is not the person to tell it in this, a rant.

[Guera25 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two stars for entertainment value, and one for approach. If you've ever wanted to see the written equivalent of those grimy dudes with the sandwich boards who rant and rave on the side of the road or in the middle of downtown, this is it. His valid concerns about bioweapons oversight and ethics are overshadowed by his snideness and obvious butthurt that the U.S. government isn't taking his hobbyist expertise super serial, you guys.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a most important book. King is a wonderful writer and even though the subject matter is deadly serious his sense of humor kept it from being "dark". How he managed to maintain such an awesome and funny sense of humor with such a serious subject is awesome. His use of sarcasm is the best !

As a retired scientist I have worked in a facility which contained a BSL-3 Laboratory for the use of determining whether an unknown substance was a "suspected agent" or not. As a result I understand the importance of being aware of what that laboratory is being used for. In our situation we as a facility were not allowed to know when suspected material was being tested. It always seemed to me to be a breech of safety since these "materials of interest" were brought into and through the building in the same manner that we entered and exited each day. The question was, have we been exposed to anything and if yes then what ? All of this was kept hush-hush from the staff as a whole. We would be informed by the TV news broadcast that a suspected powder (or whatever) was found and taken to the laboratory and was identified to be "whatever was the result". Doesn't give one the sense that Management much cared about the safety or concerns of their subordinates or the public with whom these subordinates interact.

It is important that THE people be allowed to make decisions about the safety of their family and themselves. This book along with Michael Carroll's book LAB 257 makes it clear that the people must be active and act as their own advocates in such situations.

Having completed this book on the heels of Hurricane Sandy, I have two questions:
1. Why in the name of all that is held sacred would anyone in their right mind consider building a BSL-4 facility on Galveston Island - which has been severely decimated by more than one major hurricane and is in harms way from June to November 30th each year during hurricane season ?
2. How did Plum Island manage with Hurricane Sandy ? Haven't heard anything and am wondering if the old place managed to hold it's BSL-3 status intact throughout the storm.