More than 150 experts are urging policymakers to support research into high-risk traits that many say led to the Covid pandemic.
The group – mostly virologists and biologists from the US and the UK – argue the experiments are necessary to stop future outbreaks.
They outlined their reasoning in a letter published Thursday in mSphere, mBio and the Journal of Virology, journals of the American Society for Microbiology. It comes at a questionable time, with political pressure mounting to investigate the origins of the pandemic, which many believe leaked from a Wuhan laboratory.
A federal audit by the National Institutes of Health found Wednesday that the sprawling agency did not properly determine whether research conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology was linked to dangerous pathogens with pandemic potential.
At the Wuhan laboratory, the suspected center for the start of the pandemic, virologists work with pathogens to change their genetic makeup, sometimes making them more dangerous
Today’s letter calls on policymakers to recognize the benefits of gain-of-function research to modify pathogens to make them more dangerous in the hope of developing vaccines and treatments before an actual outbreak occurs.
The scientists call on policymakers to recognize the need for a more rational discourse about the future of virology and to initiate a more nuanced, evidence-based discussion of gain-of-function research.
Gain-of-function research has been in the political spotlight since the early days of the pandemic, when it was revealed that a high-security biosecurity laboratory in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus, was harboring potentially highly infectious pathogens studied. which was leaked to the public, leading to a global outbreak.
Dr. Felicia Goodrum is associate editor of the Journal of Virology of the American Society for Microbiology, who led the commentary??
The Bombshell government report states that the NIH did not audit the Wuhan lab
A report by the US Office of Inspector General conducted an audit of the NIH and found that it did not properly monitor risky job searches in Wuhan, China.
She said: “To respond quickly to emerging viral threats, we need to be able to apply modern biological tools to viruses that will ensure we reduce the burden of future disease outbreaks.”
The authors said that demonizing gains of function could prevent scientists from studying other infectious diseases.
The letter said: “The source of concern in this area is that modifying a virus to add new functions can create a dangerous pathogen.
“However, it is important to understand that gain-of-function approaches form a large part of all research because they are a powerful genetic tool in the laboratory. These include the development of cancer therapies, bacterial bioremediation strategies and the development of drought or pest resistant crops.’
For example, GOF research has enabled Rutgers University oncologists to identify a mutated gene that can cause cancer cells to grow and spread throughout the body, leading to major advances in research into therapies that target the gene in human cancers. interest is
Profit-of-function has become a common political talking point in the past two years because of their perceived role as drivers of a global pandemic.
Proponents of the lab leak theory, including members of Congress, have pushed for more extensive research into the origins of the coronavirus, even going so far as to consider federal funding for the controversial research organization EcoHealth Alliance. The organization has given taxpayer-funded grants to several laboratories, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
These members of Congress plan to use their platforms to scrutinize gain-of-function research and specifically the role it played in driving the Covid pandemic.
The comments, published Thursday, read: “As a new United States Congress convenes, there is an opportunity to hold oversight hearings related to research in virology, and the virology community stands ready to engage with Congress to work and share our expertise.”
Whether the global outbreak began with an abundance of wild animals sold on the market or leaked from the Wuhan laboratory just eight miles across the Yangtze River has sparked heated debates about how to contain the next outbreak of a pandemic. restrict. New studies indicate a natural abundance in the wildlife market in Huanan. Positive swabs from floors, cages and counters also trace the virus back to stalls in the south-west corner of the market (bottom left), where animals with the potential to harbor Covid were sold for meat or fur (bottom right).
We hope that these hearings will highlight the tremendous contribution of virology, including gain-of-function experimentation, to human health. However, we fear that some will use such hearings to discredit virology and virologists and – intentionally or unintentionally – fuel an anti-scientific, fear-based movement.”
While there is no conclusive evidence that the virus escaped the lab, proponents of the theory point out that the high-security lab not only specializes in studying coronavirus, but that the lab was less than 10 miles from Wet Market, where the first group of cases was discovered.
Zoonosis, or the theory that the virus was transmitted to humans from animals that lived nearby, is the leading hypothesis.
The laboratory origin hypothesis suggests an accident at best, or bad actors at worst. At this time and based on the available data, there is no conclusive evidence to support any of these laboratory origin scenarios. It is important that scientists, the public and public figures follow the evidence and limit speculation, which can become fodder for misinformation and conspiracy theories,” the experts wrote.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
