AFD - PBS: Ebright, Racaniello, & Zimmer Weigh In On Bird Flu Research

[sharon sanders]

hat tip Michael Coston -

Monday, January 30, 2012

PBS: Ebright, Racaniello, & Zimmer Weigh In On Bird Flu Research

BSL-4 Lab Worker - Photo Credit –USAMRIID


# 6110


We are now 10 days into the self-imposed60 day moratorium on the conducting (and publication) of controversial H5N1 research, and the meeting to discuss the future direction of such work in Geneva is still more than a couple of weeks away.

Meanwhile, the war of words - and the battle for the hearts and minds of the public - continues full throttle with advocates on both sides of this issue making their case in the media.
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Today PBS Newshour has posted responses from three experts to a series of questions about this debate.

Richard H. Ebright - a molecular biologist at Rutgers
Vincent Racaniello - a microbiologist at Columbia, and author of theVirology Blog
Carl Zimmer, a journalist, author, and blogger
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As you might imagine, there is a considerable difference of opinion over what should be done. Follow the link below to read:

SCIENCE -- January 30, 2012 at 11:54 AM EDT
Experts Weigh in on Bird Flu Research

By: David Pelcyger
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For earlier coverage of this story, you may wish to revisit:

Nature: Yoshihiro Kawaoka Talks About His H5N1 Research

WHO: Will Host H5N1 Talks In Geneva

ScienceMag: Ron Fouchier Interview On The H5N1 Research Moratorium

Science Magazine: Public Health, Biosecurity, and H5N1
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There’s an old saying that Academic infighting is so vicious, because the stakes are so low. But in this case, both sides view the stakes here as being enormously high.

Biosecurity and concerns over public safety versus revered and well established principles of Scientific Freedom.
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Given the tenor of some of the discussions I’ve seen over the past couple of weeks, the gulf between these two sides doesn’t seem to be getting any narrower.

Posted by Michael Coston at 2:46 PM