Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Scientists Asking Obama to Ban H5N1 Experiments

A group of top scientists is proclaiming that the experimentation to alter the deadly H5N1 virus to make it even more contagious is "ethically and morally" wrong. 


A letter that was addressed to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical  Issues read; "The accidental release of an artificial, laboratory-generated, human transmissible H5N1 virus into the community has a potential to cause a global pandemic of epic proportions that would dwarf the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic that killed over 50 million people."

In late 2011, two groups of scientists had courted controversy when they were preparing to publish studies showing a modified version of the avian flu virus. This modified version could be passed through the air between mammals. In the avain flu viruses most current form it is much more difficult to transmit from mammals to mammals and on to humans. 

The US Government is currently taking big stride to regulate the research. It's been said that the White House has published a draft paper that will require the government agencies to evaluate the potential risk of any study involving 15 most dangerous cultures. 

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