For those who don’t know bird flu is an avian influenza that is classified as an infectious diseased. This flu is caused by viruses that most commonly only affects birds but because of its different strains has branched father than that.
When H5N1 first appeared in 2003 over 565 cases of human infection with this disease were documented. To note how severe this disease is 331 of these people were killed because of the flu, according to the UN World Health Organization. The H5N1 strain is an extremely deadly virus if a human is infected with the disease. Because the virus is not easily transmissible between humans it hasn’t instilled too much fear with people. But, it has been said that if the virus were to mutate then a pandemic would erupt.
Recently two researchers have found a way to make the H5N1 avian flu easily transmissible among mammals. Now the controversy lies whether they should or shouldn’t be allowed to document their discoveries of this epic killer virus in journals so that they can be shared among other scientists, researchers, etc.
One side of the argument states that by preventing the journals form being released it would be suppressing the freedom of scientific research and the Hippocratic stricture to do no harm. But, the other side of the argument holds the fact that if the journals were to be shared and there was an accidental or deliberate (bioterrorists) release of the virus, millions of people could be killed. This virus would be the perfect weapon to someone who wanted to create genocide. It would be as simple as infecting only one person and setting them in a largely populated area such as an airport or at the Olympics games, and then everyone would become infected.
On Friday, bird flu researchers agreed to pause their work for a duration of 60 days to let the international forum discuss both the benefits and risks of the continuation of the bird flu research. What do you think? Should they be allowed to publish their findings? Or is it too risky?
MP: 3 Comment: 1
ReplyDeleteUhm, seriously? I really really really think that this needs to be shared among scientists. If this was shared among scientists, they would be aware of how the virus can mutate, what it would look like if it did mutate, and help search for a treatment/prevention if the virus naturally mutated.
However, I think there should be some sort of restriction or conditions put in place to keep bio-terrorism from occurring, because this virus could be a serious weapon.
I hate when people don't like science -.-