Comments on: Flu Fighters http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/ Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:13:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Bird Flu: Any Information to Declare? | The Loom | The News of Today http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17566 Bird Flu: Any Information to Declare? | The Loom | The News of Today Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:14:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17566 [...] &#1072b&#959&#965t th&#1077 manipulated bird influenza (check out m&#1091 pieces f&#959r Line up, th&#1077 Loom, &#1072n&#1281 th&#1077 Times f&#959r background) &#1110&#1109 w&#1110th th&#1077 goal &#959f [...] [...] &#1072b&#959&#965t th&#1077 manipulated bird influenza (check out m&#1091 pieces f&#959r Line up, th&#1077 Loom, &#1072n&#1281 th&#1077 Times f&#959r background) &#1110&#1109 w&#1110th th&#1077 goal &#959f [...]

]]> By: Bird Flu: Any Information to Declare? | The Loom | Flu Symptoms, Treatment, Cold, Stomach, Swine Flu http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17565 Bird Flu: Any Information to Declare? | The Loom | Flu Symptoms, Treatment, Cold, Stomach, Swine Flu Wed, 14 Mar 2012 01:12:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17565 [...] me about the ongoing debate about the manipulated bird flu (check out my pieces for Slate, the Loom, and the Times for background) is that it comes down, in large part, to information. Should the [...] [...] me about the ongoing debate about the manipulated bird flu (check out my pieces for Slate, the Loom, and the Times for background) is that it comes down, in large part, to information. Should the [...]

]]> By: H5N1 Redactions: A Moot Point | http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17564 H5N1 Redactions: A Moot Point | Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:14:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17564 [...] arguments have been made on the internet, in academic journals and perhaps most heatedly in a panel discussion at the New York Academy of Science in which both Palese and Racaniello had the opportunity to [...] [...] arguments have been made on the internet, in academic journals and perhaps most heatedly in a panel discussion at the New York Academy of Science in which both Palese and Racaniello had the opportunity to [...]

]]> By: slim http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17563 slim Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:51:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17563 Think of the consequences of HIV deniers being in charge back in the 1980s, and now think about the MLV-related virus deniers who control everything now. Think of the consequences of HIV deniers being in charge back in the 1980s, and now think about the MLV-related virus deniers who control everything now.

]]> By: My Picks – 11th February 2012 « Joy of Science http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17562 My Picks – 11th February 2012 « Joy of Science Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:34:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17562 [...] Zimmer reports on a debate about whether details of experiments that gave an already existing virus the ability to spread from [...] [...] Zimmer reports on a debate about whether details of experiments that gave an already existing virus the ability to spread from [...]

]]> By: gsgs http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17561 gsgs Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:50:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17561 it all depends on the details of that experiment. How big is the danger of abuse, how important the information for developing countermeasures ? The panelists are talking about the subject without addressing these details which are to be kept secret. We don't even know whether or how much they know about those details. Are their real opinions not dominated by those details ? And secrecy forces them to find other public arguments for those opinions ... I'd also like to know whether the panelists have an own interest in the issue. Osterholm's agenda is known since long. It's his job to paint a pessimistic picture. Palese's lab may suffer from the restrictions. Garrett sells books, Racaniello is bound to his opinion on earlier similar things, etc. Where are the independent experts, knowing about the experiment details, weighting pros and cons ? it all depends on the details of that experiment. How big is the danger
of abuse, how important the information for developing countermeasures ?
The panelists are talking about the subject without addressing
these details which are to be kept secret. We don’t even know
whether or how much they know about those details.
Are their real opinions not dominated by those details ?
And secrecy forces them to find other public arguments for
those opinions …
I’d also like to know whether the panelists have an own interest in the
issue. Osterholm’s agenda is known since long. It’s his job to paint
a pessimistic picture.
Palese’s lab may suffer from the restrictions. Garrett sells books,
Racaniello is bound to his opinion on earlier similar things, etc.
Where are the independent experts, knowing about the experiment details,
weighting pros and cons ?

]]> By: 4u1e http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17560 4u1e Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:42:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17560 You make an odd point in noting that humans are bad at estimating risk (true) but then supporting that statement with a single example of apparently risky research that did not in fact lead to any negative impact. A single data point tells us nothing at all about whether research into potentially dangerous viruses is a significant risk to the species or not. It's like saying that there is no risk involved in crossing a busy road blindfolded because you know someone who did it once and survived. You make an odd point in noting that humans are bad at estimating risk (true) but then supporting that statement with a single example of apparently risky research that did not in fact lead to any negative impact.

A single data point tells us nothing at all about whether research into potentially dangerous viruses is a significant risk to the species or not. It’s like saying that there is no risk involved in crossing a busy road blindfolded because you know someone who did it once and survived.

]]> By: Brian Krueger http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17559 Brian Krueger Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:19:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17559 "Doing it for research for the sake of research isn’t good enough when an accidental release could wipe out half of humanity." Someone is gulping the fear monger kool-aid. H5 is probably going to reassort down this path anyway. Would you rather be blind to the threat or prepared for how to treat it? I'm with the latter. There are plenty of other nasty viruses that have the potential to wipe out humanity (Filoviruses, poxviruses, etc). The overblown fear mongering exhibited by Osterholm helps no one. His flippant dismissal of valid arguments and work by other well respected researchers in the field shows that he has an agenda and is not working for the best interests of the community at large. Osterholm seems like he's posturing for more high profile interviews with Oprah. Who knows, maybe he'll get a spin off show out of the deal. He can join the likes of Dr. Oz in promoting chicanery and nonsense to drive up the ratings. “Doing it for research for the sake of research isn’t good enough when an accidental release could wipe out half of humanity.”

Someone is gulping the fear monger kool-aid. H5 is probably going to reassort down this path anyway. Would you rather be blind to the threat or prepared for how to treat it? I’m with the latter. There are plenty of other nasty viruses that have the potential to wipe out humanity (Filoviruses, poxviruses, etc). The overblown fear mongering exhibited by Osterholm helps no one. His flippant dismissal of valid arguments and work by other well respected researchers in the field shows that he has an agenda and is not working for the best interests of the community at large. Osterholm seems like he’s posturing for more high profile interviews with Oprah. Who knows, maybe he’ll get a spin off show out of the deal. He can join the likes of Dr. Oz in promoting chicanery and nonsense to drive up the ratings.

]]> By: Ian Marsman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17558 Ian Marsman Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:49:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17558 No one will be made safer by restrictions on what will rapidly become cheaper and cheaper and easier and easier for more and more people to do. What we need is to be able to make vaccines and medicines that provide broad protection against disease. We won't get there by hiding the results of research, the very information on how pathogens adapt to be able to live in new hosts. No one will be made safer by restrictions on what will rapidly become cheaper and cheaper and easier and easier for more and more people to do. What we need is to be able to make vaccines and medicines that provide broad protection against disease. We won’t get there by hiding the results of research, the very information on how pathogens adapt to be able to live in new hosts.

]]> By: Bird Flu Mutation Causes Fears Of Deadly Epidemic | Is the End soon? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/03/flu-fighters/#comment-17557 Bird Flu Mutation Causes Fears Of Deadly Epidemic | Is the End soon? Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:47:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=5487#comment-17557 [...] Flu Fighters (blogs.discovermagazine.com) [...] [...] Flu Fighters (blogs.discovermagazine.com) [...]

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