Posted on 04/07/2013 3:59:14 PM PDT by BenLurkin
MAKING A MONSTER?
The scientific work that can answer key risk questions is known as "gain of function" or GOF research. Its aim is to identify combinations of genetic changes, or mutations, that allow an animal virus to jump to humans.
By finding the mutations needed, researchers and ultimately health authorities are better prepared to assess how likely it is that a new virus could become dangerous and if so how soon they should begin developing drugs, vaccines and other scientific defenses.
Yet such work is highly controversial.
When two teams of scientists announced in late 2011 they had found out how to make a another strain of bird flu - H5N1 - into a form that could spread between people, alarm bells rang so loudly at the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) that it took the unprecedented step of seeking to censor publication of the studies.
In a series of GOF experiments, the scientists induced mutations into the H5N1 virus that made it transmissible among mammals through droplets in the air.
The NSABB said it feared details of the work, carried out by Ron Fouchier at the Rotterdam lab and by a second team led by Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin, could fall into the wrong hands and be used for bioterrorism.
"The fear was that they were making a monster," said Wendy Barclay, a flu virologist at Imperial College London.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
And you should. Any knowledge leaked about how to create customized viruses can be adapted by interested and rogue parties.
The only plus I can see in such projects is a parallel development for a vaccine or treatment.
Just as long as you can kill it before it multiplies.
Vaccines are NOT your friend!!!
Best part of the recent ‘Planet Of The Apes’ movie was the happy ending.
What has this got to do with studying ducks dicks.
Me too.
?
Such as our own government.
Mercury is a vaccine adjutant. ??
I’m 61 years old and have had many, many vaccines.
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