Laidback Al
Well-known member
We Are Not Prepared for a Global Virus Crisis
New York, NY: Members of the Global Virus Network (GVN), which include foremost experts in every category of virus, and representing more than 20 countries, recently concluded a conference in Naples, Italy. Members presented current research, identified the most serious and imminent global virus threats to public health, and discussed both what is required and how to best deal with these viruses. . . . Dr. Ilaria Capua of Italy?s Veterinary Public Health Institute (IZSVe), and a leading researcher of animal-borne viruses, warned that the rapid spread of what is presently a mild form of avian flu (H9N2) is combining with a far more virulent and deadly form of avian flu, which could cause the emergence of a lethal chimeric virus. ?We are sitting on a ticking time bomb, and it is imperative that the members of the Global Virus Network advocate for funding to increase surveillance and research in this field,? said Dr. Capua.
The members of the Global Virus Network also determined that nature, not humans, is the public?s foremost bioterrorism threat. Dr. Ab Osterhaus, Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands said, ?The recent claim that publishing a paper on bird flu would provide terrorists with a means to kill is absurd, and frankly, just not possible for terrorists to recreate. We must remember that all of these dangerous flu mutations are already present in regions of Southeast Asia.? Osterhaus added, ?What is most important is that scientists work together on these issues, which is exactly the function the GVN serves. In this way, the relevant mutations in the virus could be spotted in humans as soon as they emerge.? Additionally, one of the world?s foremost influenza experts, Dr. Peter Palese of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, said ?We must share information and early results so we can develop safe and effective vaccine ? anything less is useless.? . . .
?It is only a matter of time before our next virus epidemic or even pandemic,? said Dr. Robert C. Gallo, who is Director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is most widely known for co-discovering HIV and developing the HIV blood test. ?We are not yet adequately prepared for new and existing viral threats, and our mission at the GVN is to fill that gap. The GVN represents leading experts and researchers in every classification of human virus, and is uniquely capable of assisting governments and organizations in focusing their resources on research and public policy to address viruses which pose a serious and imminent threat to public health.?
link to full article (including pdf): http://www.gvn.org/news-not-prepared.html#
The GVN will meet again October 17-19, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland and next spring (2013) in Munich, Germany.
FT link for GVN.
New York, NY: Members of the Global Virus Network (GVN), which include foremost experts in every category of virus, and representing more than 20 countries, recently concluded a conference in Naples, Italy. Members presented current research, identified the most serious and imminent global virus threats to public health, and discussed both what is required and how to best deal with these viruses. . . . Dr. Ilaria Capua of Italy?s Veterinary Public Health Institute (IZSVe), and a leading researcher of animal-borne viruses, warned that the rapid spread of what is presently a mild form of avian flu (H9N2) is combining with a far more virulent and deadly form of avian flu, which could cause the emergence of a lethal chimeric virus. ?We are sitting on a ticking time bomb, and it is imperative that the members of the Global Virus Network advocate for funding to increase surveillance and research in this field,? said Dr. Capua.
The members of the Global Virus Network also determined that nature, not humans, is the public?s foremost bioterrorism threat. Dr. Ab Osterhaus, Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands said, ?The recent claim that publishing a paper on bird flu would provide terrorists with a means to kill is absurd, and frankly, just not possible for terrorists to recreate. We must remember that all of these dangerous flu mutations are already present in regions of Southeast Asia.? Osterhaus added, ?What is most important is that scientists work together on these issues, which is exactly the function the GVN serves. In this way, the relevant mutations in the virus could be spotted in humans as soon as they emerge.? Additionally, one of the world?s foremost influenza experts, Dr. Peter Palese of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, said ?We must share information and early results so we can develop safe and effective vaccine ? anything less is useless.? . . .
?It is only a matter of time before our next virus epidemic or even pandemic,? said Dr. Robert C. Gallo, who is Director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is most widely known for co-discovering HIV and developing the HIV blood test. ?We are not yet adequately prepared for new and existing viral threats, and our mission at the GVN is to fill that gap. The GVN represents leading experts and researchers in every classification of human virus, and is uniquely capable of assisting governments and organizations in focusing their resources on research and public policy to address viruses which pose a serious and imminent threat to public health.?
link to full article (including pdf): http://www.gvn.org/news-not-prepared.html#
The GVN will meet again October 17-19, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland and next spring (2013) in Munich, Germany.
FT link for GVN.