A total of 22 experts and representatives of scientific publications met at the headquarters of the WHO in Geneva to discuss the issue that arose with two studies, which were submitted for publication in the leading journals Science and Nature.
In the two articles in question, researchers from the Netherlands and the United States describe how the H1N1 bird flu virus can be mutated to be transmitted directly from person to person. The viruses created by the researchers in the laboratory are expected to facilitate the development of vaccines, but in theory they could cause a pandemic of millions of victims if they escape into the environment.
In the United States, the National Biosafety Advisory Committee (NSABB) has called for the technical details that would allow terrorists to create new viruses to be removed from the studies in question.
For their part, the directors of Nature and Science expressed concern about policy interventions in scientific research - and both journals called for a way to make the data in question available to recognized experts.
According to Reuters on Friday night, the WHO meeting decided to postpone the publication of the data in question until the completion of independent studies to assess the risk of bioterrorism.
"There has to be an in-depth discussion about the risks and benefits of research, but also the risks of the virus itself," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told the Associated Press.
According to the BBC, the WHO will hold a new meeting on the issue in about two months.
Source: news.in.gr