Alexander Kohn and the headline writer have changed the meaning of a term in their suggestion that the proposed work with HeLa cells would result in an expansion of HIV’s host range (“The Dangers of Expanding HIV’s Host Range,” November 30, 1987, p. 11). The work objected to would allow HIV to replicate in some modified HeLa cells. However, there is no evidence or even suggestion that such growth would result in a changed virus. Thus, the virus would not have an expanded host range in the usual sense of this term. The virus could merely grow on some additional laboratory cells. Culturing more T4-positive human cells would also provide additional cells for HIV growth. Stated in this way, it is clear that there is no safety problem with this experiment.
Two interesting questions are raised in the article. The first relates to the statement that “HIV mutates at least ...
