Decision time for researchers of deadly bird

reuters ^ | 2/14/12 | Kate Kelland and Stephanie Nebehay

[ColdOne]

(Reuters) - When 22 bird flu experts meet at the World Health Organization this week, they will be tasked with deciding just how far scientists should go in creating lethal mutant viruses in the name of research.

The hurriedly assembled meeting is designed to try to settle an unprecedented row over a call to ban publication of two scientific studies which detail how to mutate H5N1 bird flu viruses into a form that could cause a deadly human pandemic.

But experts say whatever the outcome, no amount of censorship, global regulation or shutting down of research projects could stop rogue scientists getting the tools to create and release a pandemic H5N1 virus if they were intent on evil.

"It doesn't matter how much you restrict scientists from doing good, bad people can still do bad things," said Wendy Barclay, an expert in flu virology at Imperial College London.

[Figment]

But experts say whatever the outcome, no amount of censorship, global regulation or shutting down of research projects could stop rogue scientists getting the tools to create and release a pandemic H5N1 virus if they were intent on evil.

So, these nitwits want to publish and make it easy for terrorists to do it?

[Jonah Johansen]

I am convinced that political correctness has reached a level of insanity that man made disasters, that would dwarf 9-11, are inevitable.

If the United States and Europe were faced with some incredibly contagious and deadly form of Ebola in Africa, instead of quarantining that continent or taking dramatic steps to prevent the spread of the disease to Europe and North America such as banning all air travel. Governments would take half hearted or inadequate measure;s being more concerned with being perceived as racist than in protecting the lives of millions of people.
Like wise they are making no effort to monitor Pakistani and Arab scientists and graduate students from getting the tools to produce biological weapons. In fact to raise such a concern on most college campuses, would get you investigated and expelled for Islam-phobia.

A couple years ago a leading scientist(I believe Bill Joy of Sun writing in Wired) made the point that the wide dissemination of scientific knowledge via the internet was not an unmitigated good; if you think computer hackers can cause mayhem and disaster, it is really a drop in the bucket compared to what bio-science hackers could do with the various genetic technologies out there. (I think he was reacting to or writing to a story similar to this one, in which scientists had announced away of creating hybrid between a lethal organism and a very contagious organism)

[okie01]

I am convinced that political correctness has reached a level of insanity that man made disasters, that would dwarf 9-11, are inevitable.

Reluctantly, I have to agree.

The hurriedly assembled meeting is designed to try to settle an unprecedented row over a call to ban publication of two scientific studies which detail how to mutate H5N1 bird flu viruses into a form that could cause a deadly human pandemic.

I also wonder just what was the purpose of developing this mutation. Pure-hearted pursuit of scientific knowledge? Or a bent for mischief-making?

The scientists responsible should be asked why was this exercise necessary?