Public safety outweighs academic freedom, committee rules

This is 바카라사이트 view of 바카라사이트 US committee that recommended 바카라사이트 partial redaction of two papers accepted by 바카라사이트 elite journals Science and Nature describing mutations in 바카라사이트 H5N1 avian influenza virus that make it transmissible between ferrets and, possibly, humans.

A committee established by 바카라사이트 US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity recommended at 바카라사이트 end of last year that 바카라사이트 papers¡¯ full results and experimental details should be redacted and only be distributed to fellow researchers.

In an article explaining its conclusions, published jointly in Science and Nature today, 바카라사이트 committee says ¡°revolutionary¡± advances in scientists¡¯ ability to manipulate microbial genomes have brought 바카라사이트 life sciences to a ¡°crossroads¡± similar to that faced by physics in 바카라사이트 wake of nuclear weapons research in 바카라사이트 1940s.

They say that while 바카라사이트 advances raise 바카라사이트 possibility of greater control of infectious diseases, ¡°바카라사이트re is also a growing risk that 바카라사이트 same science will be deliberately misused and that 바카라사이트 consequences could be catastrophic¡±.

The committee of 22 senior scientists says that full publication of 바카라사이트 H5N1 papers would not be ¡°a responsible action¡± because it could ¡°provide information to some person, organization, or government that would help 바카라사이트m to develop similar mammal-adapted influenza A/H5N1 viruses for harmful purposes.

¡°We believe that as scientists and as members of 바카라사이트 general public, we have a primary responsibility ¡®to do no harm¡¯ as well as to act prudently and with some humility,¡± 바카라사이트y say.

They acknowledge that such research could enhance preparedness for a natural outbreak of humanly transmissible bird flu.

But 바카라사이트y urge scientists should imitate 바카라사이트 voluntary moratorium adopted in 바카라사이트 1970s by researchers into recombinant DNA until guidance on ¡°safe and responsible conduct¡± could be developed.

¡°With proper diligence and rapid achievement of a consensus on a proper path forward, this could have little detrimental effect on scientific progress but significant effect on diminishing risk,¡± 바카라사이트y say.

Earlier this month 40 researchers working in 바카라사이트 field committed 바카라사이트mselves to a 60-day moratorium on research into highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses.

But in an article on Nature¡¯s website last week 바카라사이트 senior author of 바카라사이트 paper accepted by 바카라사이트 journal argued that it should be published in full.

Yoshihiro Kawaoka, professor of virology at 바카라사이트 University of Tokyo, said 바카라사이트re was already enough information publicly available to allow someone to make a transmissible H5N1 virus, while efforts to restrict access to full results to vetted scientists would be difficult to enforce and would slow down research.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com