Two papers describe mutations in the H5N1 virus that make it transmissible between ferretsJEFF WEISS, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Yesterday (February 16) in Geneva, 22 experts sat down at the behest of the World Health Organization to debate whether and how to publish research in which scientists made the H5N1 avian influenza virus transmissible between ferrets. The 2-day meeting is closed to journalists and the public, but WHO released the participant list today, ScienceInsider reported.
In December, the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) recommended that two manuscripts detailing the transmission procedure be redacted prior to publication, so that the potentially dangerous research could not fall into the hands of terrorists. A month later, Science and Nature published a letter, signed by 39 influenza researchers around the world, calling for a voluntary 2-month suspension of research into H5N1 transmission.
One of the ...
