Community Chat

[cherry]

It is going to be ,and we are assured that it will be  safe. Famous last words.

I don't know enough about this type of research to find any comfort in this at all. I remember the huge anthrax scare

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/health/lethal-viruses-nih.html

[violann]

Pandora’s Box.

[151949]

Why on Earth would anyone think this is a good idea?!?!

Just another reason I'm glad I'm old - the world is getting to be too much for me.

[Marp]

I think this is a damned if we do, damned if we don't situation.  It would be beyond naive to deny others are doing similar research.

Doing our own research could be helpful if only by providing an understanding of how the pathogens were manipulated so a vaccine or other means of combating the created pathogens could be (relatively) quickly developed.

On the other hand the the risks are tremendous and there is little that can be done to be totally protective.  Everything from escape of the pathogens, infiltration of researchers by a foreign entity, even a mentally unstable researcher has to be considered.

The human factor is both the greatest risk and the greatest safety component of this type of research.

[SilleeMee]

Absolutely NO. Who would benefit from this being kept in place and allowed to go forth??

[Laura14]

I agree with @Marp.  You need the research but WOW do you need to be beyond careful with how it's done.

[chrystaltree]

Why wait for nature to create a pandemic when we can do it ourselves?

[Moonchilde]

A N Y T H I N G can be stolen, period. 

I’d rather there were a few things our govts have done in the past and will continue to do in the future that we don’t know about.  Full disclosure is not always, in every instance about everything, a good idea.

Look how we say “we’re comin’ to getcha. We’re comin’ on Tuesday (it’s Monday afternoon now, heads up). We’re comin’ in an hour. Hey, it’s us, we’re here!” with military operations. 

[puttypiesmom]

The article mentions fear that an airborne type of ebola could be created but there is something like that already, it's called the Marburg virus. It originated in Germany and named after the city Marburg where there was research in 1967. The virus is now active in Madagascar.  There's a news story dated November 6, 2017 Virus similar to Ebola mentioning Uganda and that it has spread to Madagascar.  They're saying not only can a person catch it from touching bed sheets and clothing but it is airborne. When I originally read this story, I didn't want to mention it because of the big arguments and debates that went on when ebola was brought into the U.S. and accusations on the forums of the sky is falling type hysteria.   

[cherry]

@puttypiesmom  that is very frightening