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Should the smallpox virus be destroyed for good?
posted at 3/5/2011 2:31 PM BST
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 669
First: 13/3/2009 Last: 14/2/2013 |
Later this year a World Health Organization committee is set to recommend whether or not remaining stocks of the smallpox virus should be destroyed. The disease was eradicated in 1979, and stocks of the virus are known to be held by the US and Russia. It's a tough call. In the wrong hands the virus could be let loose and kill people. But deliberately destroying an entire species of virus seems foolhardy. In the future it could help in the fight against other diseases. |
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Re: Should the smallpox virus be destroyed for good?
posted at 3/5/2011 9:23 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1785
First: 7/3/2009 Last: 22/5/2013 |
There is what we believe to be good and scientific and then there are other "non medical" considerations. The later will probably cause US and Russia and others to keep samples of the virus. Why? Because it is lethal... and unfortunately even if US and Russia and others will destroy the kept samples, who says malicious factors( I will use this general term in order to avoid controversy...) will do the same?
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Re: Should the smallpox virus be destroyed for good?
posted at 4/5/2011 5:36 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 566
First: 9/10/2009 Last: 13/3/2013 |
Whether or not remaining stocks of the smallpox virus should be destroyed? Let’s consider: Although there is a very remote possibility of the risk of re-emergence of the disease through deliberate misuse of the virus, it would be very important to have something on the shelf that would help prevent or treat an epidemic, whether a virus was introduced by a terrorist or Mother Nature. The variola virus may be needed, although temporarily, for further research to improve defence against it, including safer version of the vaccine, and most importantly, to stimulate human smallpox in lab animals for research. Do the currently available antiviral drugs are effective against smallpox? Can we claim that we do have globally strong and fool-proof diagnostic and preventive measures that can reassure future protection to population at large? Have we reassured ourselves that there are no illegal or undeclared stocks in some countries? Is it possible that the timing of the destruction of virus is not apt? A distant conscientious voice says … our future generations may be at risk from the re-emergence of one of the deadliest diseases humanity has ever known….until this research is complete, we cannot afford to take that risk. |
