EXCLUSIVE: Federal Lab in Montana Reports Potential Theft, Loss, or Release of Dangerous Biological Agent
This reported incident highlights ongoing concerns about biosafety and security at high-containment labs handling select agents.
TL;DR
- The National Institutes of Health’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) reported a possible theft, loss, or release of a select biological agent in November 2025.
- The incident was documented in RML's biosafety report and notified to the Federal Select Agent Program.
- Select agents are biological substances classified as posing a severe threat to public health, animal health, or plant health.
- No additional public details are available regarding the specific agent, the incident's nature, or potential exposures.
- RML is a high-containment biomedical research facility in Hamilton, Montana, specializing in dangerous pathogens.
- The animal research watchdog group White Coat Waste Project obtained the documents.