NYT Reports: A Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted
Note: From the "what could possibly go wrong?" files....
A Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted
Federal officials on Tuesday ended a moratorium imposed three years ago on funding research that alters germs to make them more lethal.
Such work can now proceed, said Dr. Francis S. Collins, the head of the National Institutes of Health, but only if a scientific panel decides that the benefits justify the risks.
Some scientists are eager to pursue these studies because they may show, for example, how a bird flu could mutate to more easily infect humans, or could yield clues to making a better vaccine.
Critics say these researchers risk creating a monster germ that could escape the lab and seed a pandemic.
Now, a government panel will require that researchers show that their studies in this area are scientifically sound and that they will be done in a high-security lab.
The pathogen to be modified must pose a serious health threat, and the work must produce knowledge — such as a vaccine — that would benefit humans. Finally, there must be no safer way to do the research.
“We see this as a rigorous policy,” Dr. Collins said. “We want to be sure we’re doing this right.”
In October 2014, all federal funding was halted on efforts to make three viruses more dangerous: the flu virus, and those causing Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
But the new regulations apply to any pathogen that could potentially cause a pandemic. For example, they would apply to a request to create an Ebola virus transmissible through the air, said Dr. Collins. Read more here.
Person;
Maybe Russia is involved some how with this making of new microbes?
Perhaps Congress will get around to demanding those Fast and Furious, tough but honest FBI?
to look into it.
After all they were right on top of the dossier paid for by Hillary's bunch as an excuse to wire tap an opposing candidate.
After all the FBI sure did a great job making sure that there was nothing important passed off to any foreign power through Hillary's reckless emails.
But I am just a mean orange toadie.
Posted by: Benedetta | December 27, 2017 at 03:30 PM
Person;
That is about how it is.
I have been pretty up set for many years now, how things have been going down. I guess though, as long as it was a Democrat in charge such things was just me being upset and I should just suck it up.
You can not continue to twist as you say things around, for a lot of years, and not expect me to not become an orange toadie.
Is this another thing like that big bad report on the CDC and the NIH reporting that certain words were banned and then it turned out to be words some guys we don't know was suggesting not be used when bringing forth request for research grants?
Posted by: Benedetta | December 27, 2017 at 03:21 PM
Interesting twisted argument Benedetta. You suppose this research was already being done secretly and now talking about lifting the federal ban is the democrats fault. Not the issue of lifting the ban itself. Look here, not there! If Hillary had done it, you would be shrieking to high heaven. Anything to protect the orange one and his toadies. I agree completely with Mr. Moffitt. We are in drastic need of an independent overseer here.
Posted by: Person | December 27, 2017 at 08:38 AM
This sounds insane!
Posted by: Person | December 27, 2017 at 08:17 AM
I doubt if Francis Collins or anyone else with any power in the CDC or NIH or HHS, or the military has allowed any little o'le ban of you can't research this topic; to stop them at anything, if they really wanted to .
Now that the political state of affairs is not to their liking - welllllll here is a good head liner.
Posted by: Benedetta | December 26, 2017 at 08:16 PM
Now, a government panel will require that researchers show that their studies in this area are scientifically sound and that they will be done in a high-security lab.
The pathogen to be modified must pose a serious health threat, and the work must produce knowledge — such as a vaccine — that would benefit humans.
***
Is this the same brand of "panel" that warns pregnant moms about the hazards of coffee, alcohol and cigarettes... and yet isn't concerned at all about the mercury they will receive from a flu shot?
And I have yet to see any scientific 'knowledge', which proves that any vaccine has ever benefited a human in any way.
Posted by: Barry | December 23, 2017 at 06:16 PM
The NYT's "Science/Health" journalist who wrote this nonsense is Donald G. McNeil - a perpetual fearmonger.
For instance, the panic of SARS in 2003/2004 resulted in a worldwide 875 deaths all in SE Asia (excepting 45 +/- deaths in Canada), virtually every death directly brought by the lethal antiviral drug called Ribavirin. All this monumental farce was blamed on a variant of the corona virus, yet even this virus was detected in minority of deaths.
Those NOT treated with ribavirin (the U.S. authorities in a rare moment of toxic-drug caution decided to NOT use Ribavirin - hence no U.S. SARS deaths) shortly recovered from their mild "illness."
Same with Ebola bull crap - on and on.
Doanald G. McNeil is just another flunkie marching to Pharma and and CDC orders.
Posted by: david m burd | December 23, 2017 at 03:29 PM
I remember going through the patents on various vaccines(anyone can do it on line these days) and I remember seeing similar to this this a couple of years back.The argument for it was to replace the MOUSE DNA with FLY DNA as it proved to be a better uptake of the virus in HUMANS using the fly(rub the eyes in disbelief moment re- read several times).
What lucky people were getting the vaccines ?Do they want us to know?Only Pharma know.The vaccines are made and specific batch codes applied.Then sent to a factory vaccine distribution depot and further codes applied where the batches have to be dispatched to..They can if they wish to monitor every vaccine to every Doctors surgery for use and monitor the reactions..just as they did with our kids and then stand back and deny the majority of vaccine batch codes exist and say the doctor wrote that down wrong and thats not a known vaccine code..,how many times have we heard that one.
Psychopathic Quackers B-O-N-K-E-R-S!
Pharma For Prison
MMR RIP
Posted by: Angus Files | December 23, 2017 at 01:22 PM
Remember that last minute insertion in The Homeland Security Act that defined "epidemic" (of, for example, smallpox) as ONE case? ...triggering the right of the government to enter your home and forcibly vaccinate you and your family against the disease?
Posted by: Sally Rubin | December 23, 2017 at 12:26 PM
Do we really believe that they ever stopped?
Posted by: Linda1 | December 23, 2017 at 11:37 AM
It all sounds so reassuring - not. Ding-dong merrily on high!
Posted by: John Stone | December 23, 2017 at 10:19 AM
"Such work can now proceed, said Dr. Francis S. Collins, the head of the National Institutes of Health, but only if a scientific panel decides that the benefits justify the risks."
I'm sure its just cynical old me .. but .. in my humble opinion .. using history as my guide ... I don't trust either the NIH .. or .. "a scientific panel" .. to "decide that the benefits justify the risks".
That decision should and must be made by INDEPENDENT .. INCORRUPTIBLE sources .. as to what is in the best interests of the future of mankind.
Posted by: bob moffit | December 23, 2017 at 08:49 AM