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U.S. Halts Funding for G.O.F. Studies To Enhance Pathogenicity and/or Transmissibility of Viruses

Wally

Senior Member
Messages
1,167
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014...benefits-life-sciences-gain-function-research
Following recent biosafety incidents at Federal research facilities, the U.S. Government has taken a number of steps to promote and enhance the Nation’s biosafety and biosecurity, including immediate and longer term measures to review activities specifically related to the storage and handling of infectious agents.

As part of this review, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Department of Health and Human Services today announced that the U.S. Government is launching a deliberative process to assess the potential risks and benefits associated with a subset of life sciences research known as “gain-of-function” studies. With an ultimate goal of better understanding disease pathways, gain-of-function studies aim to increase the ability of infectious agents to cause disease by enhancing its pathogenicity or by increasing its transmissibility. . . .

See also two related articles (and comments) in Science Magazine at
1) http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/...isky-virus-studies-calls-voluntary-moratorium
2) http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/...atorium-risky-virus-experiments#disqus_thread