Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Should Scientific Journals Describe How Researchers Made a Killer Flu?

Scientists and doctors alike have long worried the H5N1 would mutate into an easily transmissible disease.  It's current deadly nature makes this a very real threat. In attempts to research an prepare for this possible future, scientists have created just such a disease, a version of H5N1 that transmits easily between ferrets (an animal commonly used to study the transmissability of the flu).  But, the government fears the release of this information could give terrorists and other ill wishers the recipe for a bio-weapon. As is, it appears the journals in question, Science and Nature, will hold back on the specifics, but how much is too much information?

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