H5N1 News
7 DECEMBER 2012 | NEWS & ANALYSIS
David Malakoff
Researchers are giving a mixed reception to a draft U.S. government plan to do more stringent funding reviews of
certain kinds of H5N1 avian influenza research—and perhaps even keep some some studies secret.
4 MAY 2012 | NEWS & ANALYSIS
Martin Enserink and Jon Cohen
One of two controversial studies that shows how to make H5N1 avian influenza more transmissible in mammals is now up onNature's
Web site for all the world to scrutinize.
2 MAY 2012 | SCIENCENOW
Martin Enserink and Jon Cohen
With four mutations, a hybrid H5N1 virus jumps between ferrets via respiratory droplets.
27 APRIL 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
Martin Enserink
The Dutch government has given virologist Ron Fouchier of Erasmus MC an export license for his controversial H5N1 transmissibility
study, allowing Fouchier to send a revised manuscript of his paper to Science.
26 APRIL 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
David Malakoff
Although the contention over whether to publish two controversial H5N1 avian influenza studies appears to be waning, researchers
should continue to abide by a voluntary moratorium on certain types of studies involving the virus, according to a senior
U.S. science official.
24 APRIL 2012 | SCIENCE Live
Gregory Viglianti and David Malakoff
Join a live chat on the recent controversy over avian flu studies that could change the way science is conducted. (26 April)
24 APRIL 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
Martin Enserink
The Dutch government may decide very soon whether virologist Ron Fouchier of Erasmus MC in Rotterdam is eligible for an export
license that would allow him to resubmit his controversial H5N1 study for publication by Science.
20 APRIL 2012 | News & Analysis
Martin Enserink
The Dutch government must decide if it will invoke export-control laws in a bid to prevent virologist Ron Fouchier from submitting
a revised version of his controversial H5N1 paper to Science.
16 APRIL 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
Jon Cohen
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has posted the full recommendations from the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity.
[LINK]
13 APRIL 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
Jon Cohen
A member of the board that first barred and then decided to allow publication of two H5N1 transmission studies has written
a sharp critique of the meeting that led to the decision.
6 APRIL 2012 | News & Analysis
David Malakoff
Lab-created versions of the H5N1 avian influenza virus turned out to be less frightening than a U.S. advisory panel first
believed.
3 APRIL 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
Martin Enserink
Influenza studies debated in the wake of new recommendations from U.S. biosecurity panel.
30 MARCH 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
David Malakoff
A U.S. biosecurity advisory panel has reversed course and is recommending that the U.S. government allow full publication
of two controversial flu studies.
29 MARCH 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
David Malakoff
A U.S. government advisory panel today opens a 2-day reexamination of two controversial flu studies.
9 MARCH 2012 | News & Analysis
Jon Cohen and David Malakoff
A researcher who created one of the H5N1 mutants believed to be capable of triggering an influenza pandemic and a leading
U.S. health official are offering clarifications and "new data" to better gauge the risk it presents.
6 MARCH 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
Jon Cohen
Four papers published today in the online, open access journal mBio offer wide-ranging perspectives about the biocontainment
facilities that researchers should use to work with bird flu viruses that...
4 MARCH 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
David Malakoff
It was only a matter of time, it appears. After months of silence from members of Congress, a senior member of the U.S. House
of Representatives has publicly inserted...
2 MARCH 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
Jon Cohen and David Malakoff
Members of a U.S. government biosecurity advisory board are offering a range of reactions to the news that they are being
asked to take a second look at two...
29 FEBRUARY 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
David Malakoff
The U.S. government will ask a government biosecurity advisory board to conduct a new review of revised versions of two controversial
H5N1 flu research manuscripts.
24 February 2012 | News & Analysis
Jon Cohen
The complexity of allowing access to a select group combined with the value of widely sharing the data, led the group to call
for full publication.
17 February 2012 | News & Analysis
Jon Cohen
This month scientists debated the lethality of the H5N1 virus in humans at the New York Academy of Sciences.
17 February 2012 | News & Analysis
Jon Cohen
Controversial research into what makes H5N1 transmissible between humans has opened up a new debate on flu surveillance.
2 February 2012 | News & Analysis
Jon Cohen
How concerned should people be that what happened in ferrets with these mutant viruses will apply to humans?
26 JANUARY 2012 | News & Analysis
David Malakoff
A group of leading influenza researchers last week agreed to a 60-day moratorium on some sensitive studies involving the H5N1
avian influenza virus "to provide time" for international discussions.
25 JANUARY 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
Jon Cohen, with reporting by Martin Enserink and David Malakoff
In the heated debate about two labs that engineered a variant of the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus that for the first time easily
transmits between mammals, one critical...
20 JANUARY 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
Martin Enserink
In a statement posted today on the Web sites of Nature and Science, a group of 39 influenza researchers announced a 2-month moratorium on studies that make the avian influenza strain H5N1
more transmissible between mammals.
20 JANUARY 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
David Malakoff, Martin Enserink, Gretchen Vogel, and Jon Cohen
Stung by a growing global controversy over the potential dangers of experiments involving the H5N1 avian flu virus-and worried
about heavy-handed government regulation-the world's leading H5N1 researchers have agreed a 60-day moratorium.
20 JANUARY 2012 | SCIENCEINSIDER
David Malakoff
A group of prominent researchers is asking a U.S. government biosecurity advisory board to reconsider its controversial recommendation
that two research teams omit key details from papers in press at Science and Nature.
12 JANUARY 2012 | SCIENCELIVE
Martin Enserink
Live Chat guests Andrew S. Pekosz and Michael T. Osterholm discuss the benefits and risks of H5N1 transmissibility studies.
6 JANUARY 2012 | NEWS & ANALYSIS
Martin Enserink and David Malakoff
The unprecedented decision by the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity to request that scientists withhold
key details of their research has opened up a larger debate on the free flow of scientific information.
6 JANUARY 2012 | NEWS & ANALYSIS
Martin Enserink
Two rival labs are taking different approaches to the public controversy surrounding their upcoming publications on the creation
of dangerous strains of the avian flu.
23 DECEMBER 2011 | SCIENCE INSIDER
Martin Enserink
The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity is considering a call for a voluntary moratorium on the publication
of certain flu studies while an international debate is held to discuss the future of the field.
20 DECEMBER 2011 | SCIENCE INSIDER
Martin Enserink
Two groups of scientists working with the avian influenza virus H5N1 will hold back details from their publications at the
request of a U.S. biosecurity advisory board.
23 NOVEMBER 2011 | SCIENCE INSIDER
Martin Enserink
A biosecurity advisory board's recommendations on the publication of two avian influenza papers has drawn attention from the
media and triggered debate in the scientific community.
Commentary & Research
23 March 2012 | BREVIA
Seroevidence for H5N1 Influenza Infections in Humans: Meta-Analysis
T. Wang et al.
Metanalysis revealed approximately 1.3% of >8500 study participants had evidence of prior H5N1 influenza virus infection.
16 February 2012 | POLICY FORUM
Surveillance of Animal Influenza for Pandemic Preparedness
J.S.M. Peiris et al.
How may we prepare to cope better with future pandemics, particularly ones with greater severity?
9 February 2012 | POLICY FORUM
The Obligation to Prevent the Next Dual-Use Controversy
R. Faden and R. Karron
The recent debates over H5N1 experiments highlight current shortcomings in regulatory systems.
30 JANUARY 2012 | POLICY FORUM
Adaptations of Avian Flu Virus Are a Cause for Concern
K. I. Berns et al.
Members of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity explain its recommendations on the communication of experimental
work on H5N1 influenza.
20 JANUARY 2012 | LETTER
Pause on Avian Flu Transmission Research
R. A. M. Fouchier, A. Garcia-Sastre, Y. Kawaoka et al.
Resulting from concerns about recent research on avian influenza, scientists working on transmission of the H5N1 strain have
agreed to halt this area of research for 60 days to allow time for international discussion.
19 JANUARY 2012 | POLICY FORUM
Restricted Data on Influenza H5N1 Virus Transmission
R. Fouchier et al.
Authors of a debated flu transmission study discuss why such work is important and should be published.
19 JANUARY 2012 | POLICY FORUM
H5N1 Debates: Hung Up on the Wrong Questions
D. R. Perez
Information related to influenza transmissibility should be published in its entirety.
19 JANUARY 2012 | POLICY FORUM
Life Sciences at a Crossroads: Respiratory Transmissible H5N1
M. Osterholm and D.A. Henderson
Release of details of recent research on affecting influenza transmissibility poses far more risk than any good that might
occur.
19 JANUARY 2012 | POLICY FORUM
The Limits of Government Regulation of Science
J. Kraemer and L. Gostin
A transparent institutional review process will balance scientific freedom and national security better than publication restrictions.