In the interests of public health, the results of Dutch research on avian influenza viruses should be made available to the general public. That's the opinion of virologist Ron Fouchier, research director at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam. He disagrees with US advice to keep large parts of the publication secret.
The National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity (NSABB) wants to prevent any data from the Dutch research becoming public. It fears that terrorists might use that information to develop a very dangerous virus. The journal Science says that the Rotterdam study is very important for public health. For that reason, the prestigious journal Nature also wants to publish the research. Science had approached the NSABB about publication.
Self-created viruses
Researcher Ron Fouchier understands the fuss about possible publication, but he qualifies the danger. "We've already made a very dangerous virus even more dangerous, so that information can certainly be misused. If you have a good group of virologists behind you, then you may be able to produce such a virus."
The team of the Erasmus University Rotterdam made a genetically modified variant of the H5N1 bird flu virus that is very likely to be transmittable amongst humans. H5N1 is found in birds, but the virus rarely jumps from animals to humans. The team conducted the research at the request of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to find out whether the H5N1 virus could cause a pandemic.
Bioterrorism
Withholding some of the research findings from publication can be justifed, says Ron Fouchier. "For people working in the field of public health, the results of this research are very important. But the methodology of our research is not as interesting to them, so the recipe for bioterrorism need not be published. But the mutations responsible for transferring the bird flu virus should be made known in the field. They must act quickly if they encounter virus signatures," said Mr Fouchier on Dutch radio.
The editors of Science are considering withholding even more information, which will be made available only to trusted parties. But according to Mr Fouchier this system isn't foolproof. "As soon as more than ten people have information, it's effectively in the public domain. That's normal. We've made a list of some 100 organizations which need this information. So it's better to publish it responsibly. "
Mr Fouchier says he's waiting for the outcome of the debate about publication. "We have jointly decided on a period of discussion before we make a decision." He says that publishing to a special website is 'an option'.
(/as/rk)
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The above comment is as ridiculous as it is misguided. Stop using the "West" as a scapegoat and take heed when Virologists say it can be reproduced if the findings are published. What a moron.
The above comment is as ridiculous as it is misguided. Stop using the "West" as a scapegoat and take heed when Virologists say it can be reproduced if the findings are published. What a moron.
The above comment is as ridiculous as it is misguided. Stop using the "West" as a scapegoat and take heed when Virologists say it can be reproduced if the findings are published. What a moron.
As Dr. Fouchier rightly says, the information cannot be kept private and will get out whatever these repressive organizations do. Censorship never is a good thing, especially with scientific work. Witness what happened with the atomic bomb. It is a matter of individual and collective responsibility as to what is done with information - it can be used for good or evil. What scares me more than what the general public will do with this is what governments, "even" such "democratic" governments such as those in the West will do with it. No doubt, some "defense" ministry will think of the development of bioweapons as "protecting" humanity. Witness the cold war and the number of atomic weapons in the world. Thus, it is better to get the information out there and stop this nonsense and this repression that censorship entails.
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