Posted on 11/21/2005 10:49:09 AM PST by John Semmens
Bird flu and other viruses may be on the road to extinction. Researchers are developing DNA vaccines that can be produced quickly and cheaply. There are no DNA vaccines available for human use yet, but DNA vaccines have just been approved for use in horses to prevent West Nile Virus. Researchers are currently testing human DNA vaccines for AIDS, SARS, Ebola, and West Nile Virus.
“A DNA vaccine is not a panacea,” says University of London biochemist Peter Dunnill. “However, it could be useful if the situation gets out of hand.”
The development of novel technologies like DNA vaccines point to the really good news: As humanity’s biotechnical prowess increases, we may never suffer through another pandemic again.
Not everyone is pleased with this progress against viruses. Jeremy Rifkin, long time critic of bioengineering, demands this research be halted. “This is tampering with nature’s delicate balance,” said Rifkin. “Killing off these viruses could have unforeseen dangers. What if these vaccines save the life of a person who turns out to be a future Hitler?”
Rifkin says there are also ethical dimensions to consider. “These scientists are prepared to wipe out whole species of viruses,” said Rifkin. “I haven’t seen one bit of concern for a virus’s right to life.”
Rifkin is proposing an across-the-board halt to all scientific research until the complex biological and ethical issues are resolved.
(Excerpt) Read more at azconservative.org ...
Actually science is probably a lot closer to doing this than most realize. I believe sars, ebola, and WNV are all single stranded RNA viruses and no doubt there is research being done to attack the genetic structure of these diseases.
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