The research of bird flu has been controversial for a long time, and nine months ago new findings prompted scientists to place a voluntary moratorium on research. As two unrelated teams managed to produce a version of the bird flu virus which could successfully pass from one ferret to the next, concerns were raised about what would happen if the virus or information about the virus got into the wrong hands.
Therefore, the moratorium was put in place in order for the scientist to get some time to examine the most optimal way to proceed. However, as it has now been nine months since the moratorium started, it appears timely that the ban be re-examined.
This has been the topic for a series of publications in the current issue of mBO, which is a journal published by American Society for Microbiology. Overall, there appears to be a consensus that there is a need for both strict regulations on the research and the researchers conducting it but that the moratorium ought to end in order for research to continue. To date, the moratorium has not been lifted.
The implications of these studies are significant as ferrets’ response to flu is similar to human responses. Given that the passing of bird flu between humans has been rare in the past, the release of an often deadly virus that can pass between humans would cause a pandemic. As such, it is understandable that precautions are taken. However, knowledge is always valuable and it is better that humans examine the potential risks of this development than to halt research.