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U.S. officials lift ban on making lethal viruses in labs
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Leroy N. Soetoro
Dec 21, 2017, 2:32:33 PM12/21/17
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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-officials-lift-ban-on-making-lethal-
viruses-in-labs/
Government officials lifted a ban this week on funding research that makes
dangerous germs more lethal. Dr. Francis S. Collins, director of the
National Institutes of Health, called the move an important step to help
scientists "identify, understand, develop strategies and effective
countermeasures against rapidly evolving pathogens that pose a threat to
public health." But some voiced concerns about the potential risks.
The decision lifts a funding pause put into place in October 2014 on
experiments involving influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS),
and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) viruses.
The work with these viruses can now move forward, but only if a scientific
panel determines that the benefits outweigh the risks.
"We have a responsibility to ensure that research with infectious agents
is conducted responsibly, and that we consider the potential biosafety and
biosecurity risks associated with such research," Collins said in a
statement posted on NIH's website. "I am confident that the thoughtful
review process laid out… will help to facilitate the safe, secure, and
responsible conduct of this type of research in a manner that maximizes
the benefits to public health."
But some critics worry that researchers may create a "super germ" that
could threaten millions if it somehow escaped the lab.
Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist who directs the Center for Communicable
Disease Dynamics at the Harvard School of Public Health, called review
panels "a small step forward."
He told The New York Times that recent disease-enhancing experiments "have
given us some modest scientific knowledge and done almost nothing to
improve our preparedness for pandemics, and yet risked creating an
accidental pandemic."
Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, director of the University of Minnesota's
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), said that he
is most concerned about public health implications if details about the
experiments become publicly available, a process which the new framework
doesn't spell out.
"How we detail that information needs to be considered," he said in a news
post on CIDRAP's website. "Until we have that part solved, I'm concerned
about the work being done."
For example, if scientists discovered what it would take for Ebola to
become a respiratory virus that could spread through a sneeze – a finding
that might be useful to aid preparedness but would also make the altered
virus more dangerous – that could have devastating consequences if the
information got into the wrong hands.
"If it were the case, I don't want the public to have a blueprint on how
to do it," Osterholm said.
The funding pause on such research in 2014 came after a slew of incidents
involving the mishandling of potentially dangerous pathogens in government
laboratories, including the accidental exposure of workers to anthrax at
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Just weeks later, health officials discovered decades-old vials of
smallpox virus improperly stored in refrigerator at the National
Institutes Health in Maryland.
The NIH's most recent announcement includes criteria for guiding funding
decisions. It says the research will only be approved if it is "ethically
justifiable" and if researchers have the "capacity and commitment to
conduct it safely and securely, and have the ability to respond rapidly"
if things went awry.
--
Donald J. Trump, 304 electoral votes to 227, defeated compulsive liar in
denial Hillary Rodham Clinton on December 19th, 2016. The clown car
parade of the democrat party has run out of gas.
Congratulations President Trump. Thank you for ending the disaster of the
Obama presidency.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp.
ObamaCare is a total 100% failure and no lie that can be put forth by its
supporters can dispute that.
Obama jobs, the result of ObamaCare. 12-15 working hours a week at minimum
wage, no benefits and the primary revenue stream for ObamaCare. It can't
be funded with money people don't have, yet liberals lie about how great
it is.
Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $20 trillion in the eight
years he was in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood queer
liberal democrat donors.
viruses-in-labs/
Government officials lifted a ban this week on funding research that makes
dangerous germs more lethal. Dr. Francis S. Collins, director of the
National Institutes of Health, called the move an important step to help
scientists "identify, understand, develop strategies and effective
countermeasures against rapidly evolving pathogens that pose a threat to
public health." But some voiced concerns about the potential risks.
The decision lifts a funding pause put into place in October 2014 on
experiments involving influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS),
and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) viruses.
The work with these viruses can now move forward, but only if a scientific
panel determines that the benefits outweigh the risks.
"We have a responsibility to ensure that research with infectious agents
is conducted responsibly, and that we consider the potential biosafety and
biosecurity risks associated with such research," Collins said in a
statement posted on NIH's website. "I am confident that the thoughtful
review process laid out… will help to facilitate the safe, secure, and
responsible conduct of this type of research in a manner that maximizes
the benefits to public health."
But some critics worry that researchers may create a "super germ" that
could threaten millions if it somehow escaped the lab.
Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist who directs the Center for Communicable
Disease Dynamics at the Harvard School of Public Health, called review
panels "a small step forward."
He told The New York Times that recent disease-enhancing experiments "have
given us some modest scientific knowledge and done almost nothing to
improve our preparedness for pandemics, and yet risked creating an
accidental pandemic."
Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, director of the University of Minnesota's
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), said that he
is most concerned about public health implications if details about the
experiments become publicly available, a process which the new framework
doesn't spell out.
"How we detail that information needs to be considered," he said in a news
post on CIDRAP's website. "Until we have that part solved, I'm concerned
about the work being done."
For example, if scientists discovered what it would take for Ebola to
become a respiratory virus that could spread through a sneeze – a finding
that might be useful to aid preparedness but would also make the altered
virus more dangerous – that could have devastating consequences if the
information got into the wrong hands.
"If it were the case, I don't want the public to have a blueprint on how
to do it," Osterholm said.
The funding pause on such research in 2014 came after a slew of incidents
involving the mishandling of potentially dangerous pathogens in government
laboratories, including the accidental exposure of workers to anthrax at
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Just weeks later, health officials discovered decades-old vials of
smallpox virus improperly stored in refrigerator at the National
Institutes Health in Maryland.
The NIH's most recent announcement includes criteria for guiding funding
decisions. It says the research will only be approved if it is "ethically
justifiable" and if researchers have the "capacity and commitment to
conduct it safely and securely, and have the ability to respond rapidly"
if things went awry.
--
Donald J. Trump, 304 electoral votes to 227, defeated compulsive liar in
denial Hillary Rodham Clinton on December 19th, 2016. The clown car
parade of the democrat party has run out of gas.
Congratulations President Trump. Thank you for ending the disaster of the
Obama presidency.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp.
ObamaCare is a total 100% failure and no lie that can be put forth by its
supporters can dispute that.
Obama jobs, the result of ObamaCare. 12-15 working hours a week at minimum
wage, no benefits and the primary revenue stream for ObamaCare. It can't
be funded with money people don't have, yet liberals lie about how great
it is.
Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $20 trillion in the eight
years he was in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood queer
liberal democrat donors.
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