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By Category: Research

New H5N1 viruses: How to balance risk of escape with benefits of research?

(EurekAlert!) In the controversy surrounding the newly developed strains of avian H5N1 flu viruses, scientists and policy makers are struggling with one question in particular: what level of biosafety is best for studying these potentially lethal strains of …

General warns of Syrian bioweapons, Iran threat – Washington Times

Washington TimesGeneral warns of Syrian bioweapons, Iran threatWashington TimesJames Mattis, head of US Central Command, also said Syria has a “substantial” chemical and biological weapons capability and thousands of shoulder-launched missiles. Until now, the US military has largely declined to describe the expanse of weapons …and more »

Amateurs Are New Fear in Creating Mutant Virus

(New York Times) On the question of who, while terrorists and cults have long been a concern in biosecurity circles, some scientists also fear that publication may allow curious amateurs to recreate the mutated virus — raising the risk of an accidental release.

Obama Mishandled Bird Flu Studies, Lawmaker Says

(Global Security Newswire) A prominent U.S. lawmaker on Thursday faulted the Obama administration's handling of two federally funded studies that increased the transmissibility of the avian flu virus, Chemical and Engineering News reported on Friday. Bioterrorism concerns prompted the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity last year to call for withholding some data from  Read More »

Panics and Pandemics

(New Yorker) This week, Michael Specter writes about the controversy that followed the creation of a highly contagious form of H5N1, or bird flu, by scientists at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam. Researchers had made avian influenza contagious by …

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