Federal Ban on scientists making lethal viruses is lifted

[HockeyBjj]

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/health/lethal-viruses-nih.html?referer=http://m.facebook.com

What could possibly go wrong here? At least a zombie apocalypse sounds more fun than a nuclear one

Some scientists are eager to pursue these studies because they may show, for example, how a bird flu could mutate to more easily infect humans, or could yield clues to making a better vaccine.

Critics say these researchers risk creating a monster germ that could escape the lab and seed a pandemic.

Now, a government panel will require that researchers show that their studies in this area are scientifically sound and that they will be done in a high-security lab.

The pathogen to be modified must pose a serious health threat, and the work must produce knowledge — such as a vaccine — that would benefit humans. Finally, there must be no safer way to do the research.

In seriousness, mutating a virus to be a step ahead of where it is now so that a vaccine/treatment can be made ready instead of scrambling after an outbreak is the goal here. If it’s done safely and in a very tightly controlled lab it can certainly be a good thing. But damn if it doesn’t sound scary and playing with fire. Article mentions a lab creating an Ebola virus that can transmit through the air would be in the program, but can you imagine if a single carrier of that monster bug got out into the public?

 

[Seaside]

well doesn't half this forum want the apocalypse? so this a good thing! go USA you nuts!

 

[weed]

 

[Ophydian]

I thought we were already creating the worst viruses and experimenting on the global population that is why it's been easier to contain some of these "pandemic global killers"

 

[Fawlty]

Bad idea if we're cutting CDC funding. Also ebola would require a lot of monkeying to get to airborne, so that would be really stupid and dangerous.

 

[HomerThompson]

LOL.

 

[ShoelessRye]

Sure - if the labs are built in Antarctica.

 

[HockeyBjj]

Bad idea if we're cutting CDC funding. Also ebola would require a lot of monkeying to get to airborne, so that would be really stupid and dangerous.

That was an example given by the writer of an article, not by a scientist that was going to work on that. Hopefully the guys who know what they’re doing stick to little things like during the bird flu scare, getting one that *could* jump to humans so that if/when the wild one did a treatment would be closer to ready for it. That wouldn’t take much monkeying since the bird flu one was on the brink of it naturally

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

Bad idea if we're cutting CDC funding. Also ebola would require a lot of monkeying to get to airborne, so that would be really stupid and dangerous.

Ban for racism.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

well doesn't half this forum want the apocalypse? so this a good thing! go USA you nuts!

Yup. And the other half wants nothing but science.


This is a great compromise, meeting halfway if you will.

 

[Limbo Pete]

I've read The Stand.
Hard pass.

 

[Fawlty]

I've read The Stand.
Hard pass.

Kim Jung would be an amazing Waddlin' Dude. Get Matt & Trey on this immediately.

 

[KnightTemplar]

I've read The Stand.
Hard pass.

This was literally my first thought as well. And I'm not even a King fan.

 

[Teppodama]

Excellent, one step closer to zombie plague.

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

I doubt China and Russia ever stopped doing that, so I'm not that concerned. But it still sounds scary. I hope they develop something cool

 

[Teppodama]

Does anyone here truly believe they have the necessary skills and mentality to survive if a global pandemic brought the world to its knees? Greatly reduced population, scarcity of basic resources, inevitable social decay and predation, loss and or decay of infrastructure...

 

[KnightTemplar]

Does anyone here truly believe they have the necessary skills and mentality to survive if a global pandemic brought the world to its knees? Greatly reduced population, scarcity of basic resources, inevitable social decay and predation, loss and or decay of infrastructure...

Keep going...I'm nearly there...

 

[Teppodama]

Keep going...I'm nearly there...

Apoc fwap fantasies for the win huh?

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

So this is how the zombie apocalypse begins?

 

[Teppodama]

So this is how the zombie apocalypse begins?

One can wish.