title: Destruction of isolates from the Pittsburgh Veterans Affairs Laboratory.
abstract: The Pittsburgh Veterans Affairs hospital administration closed the research laboratory directed by Victor Yu and Janet Stout and destroyed isolates collected as part of a series of clinical studies over 25 years. This article discusses the implications and protests such destruction as an affront to science and scientific study. A petition signed by 243 individuals accompanies this article.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts-New England Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. DSnydman@tufts-nem.org
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Snydman
authors.forename: Elias J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Anaissie
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Sarosi
mesh_terms: D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D035843:Biomedical Research; D006801:Humans; D007875:Legionella; D007876:Legionellosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs