The Erasmus Medical Centre (E.M.C. which is part of the Erasmus university of Rotterdam in the Netherlands) commissioned by the American National Institute of Health, examined whether the H5N1 virus could be mutated so that it is easily transmissible. The H5N1 virus was the focus of Mr. Fouchier's experiments at the EMC. H5N1 is a variation of the swine flu virus also known as H1N1. The outbreak of the H1N1 virus claimed more than 14,000 lives across the globe in 2009. Due to limitations of spreading among people the mortality rate stayed relatively low (according to researchers), but this rate will increase to as high as 60 percent if people get infected by the H5N1 virus (H5N1 is also known as the bird flu).
So far the bird flu has not been able to transfer from human to human or spread through the air; however, Ron Fouchier of Erasmus Medical Center and his team "mutated the hell out of H5N1". What he found is that with as few as five single mutations the virus gained the ability to transfer from animal to human. Currently there is worldwide only one isolated case, known in Indonesia, where the virus spread from human to human.
The genetic bird flu variant that Fouchier and his team have developed showed the ability to spread between ferrets. Ferrets with flu viruses behave similarly to humans and therefore are the preferred animal for flu research. Fouchier said, "It wasn't until someone finally convinced me to do something really, really stupid that they observed the deadly H5N1 become a viable aerosol virus". Fouchier did not give an explanation of the content of his stupidity nor did he specify who persuaded him to act stupidly, nonetheless it is clear that his reckless experiment let the virus evolve to gain the feared killer capacity.
Although I am passionate to blame Mr. Fouchier and his team for their reckless and dangerous behavior, it is unjust. After reports in June 2011 of a small bird flu outbreak in the Netherlands, members of the Dutch parliament inquired the Dutch minister of health (11-29-11) about the legality and dangers of fore mentioned experiments. Unfortunately, the minister responded with vague and shallow statements and - worse - she got away with it. She told parliament that the NSABB's (National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity) advice has been that terrorists could benefit from the H5N1-Laboratory-results. As a witness (of the parliamentary debate on TV) I believe that NSABB's advice to the minister could have more than just that.
As opposed to the restrictiveness to which the minister seemed to have been bound during her parliamentary debate, Mr. Ron Fouchier wants to throw his findings out in the open. He wants to publish the results of his experiments in the 'Science' magazine. According to an EMC-spokeswoman 'this will not happen before NSABB has evaluated the content of the Mr. Fouchier's publication, and she continued with: 'we will receive a decision any time soon'. My take is that the NSABB will refuse publication and justifications to deny Mr. Fouchier publishing his findings will not be disclosed to the public. However it is easy to predict what the reason of NSABB's refusal will be as it might be something like this: "an article describing 'how-to-make-a-virus-that-can-be-used-as-a-bio-weapon' contains sensitive information that may get in the wrong hands".
Even though it is clear - now - that a feared massive killer has been produced and stored among a densely populated area in the Netherlands, the Dutch minister of Health did not show any signs of informing the public about EMC's and the NSABB's role in the matter. Public opinion related to the recklessness of conducting dangerous and secret bio-experiments is something the NSABB and the Dutch government should be worried about. On the other hand the NSABB may be used to the idea of getting away with endangering and risking the public safety in a foreign country. As it may already be obvious to the reader: the production of fore mentioned bio-weapon is not only a danger to the Dutch community but to the whole world!
In an interview with 'Science Insider' Mr. Ron Fouchier calls his virus modification experiment "one of the most dangerous". "His research team genetically modified the variant of H5N1: better known as the avian flu virus". "What Fouchier and his team have done and what they now seem to have possession of (and hopefully well kept and protected) is their government's worst nightmare". "If such a virus would emerge in the wild, it could cause a pandemic of abysmal size".
Staying ahead of the unpredictable and sometimes dangerous genetically course of nature is one of NSABB's reasons to conduct experiments and get results like the above. However, one day people may find out what the NSABB is trying to keep away from them. Rather, people already know of the production of this new bio-weapon and it won't take long to learn about the details of the experiments of Mr. Fouchier either through official channels or through unofficial channels. I doubt NSABB's capability to prevent certain channels to leak this vital information. Eventually, detailed information about the production of life threatening viruses will come out with or without the help of the NSABB. Therefore, I will conclude this blog with questions about the morality of the NSABB in relation to these H5N1-experiments:
(1) What is the real motivation of the NSABB to conduct these experiments?
(2) Who is benefitting, or who is profiting?
JayRay
P.S.: Check out the sources and the videos
Sources:
WEB-site NOS: http://nos.nl/artikel/316381-onrust-over-grieponderzoek-erasmus-mc.html
WEB-site NOS: http://nos.nl/artikel/316472-omstreden-grieponderzoek-goed-beveiligd.html
WEB-site NOS: http://nos.nl/artikel/316666-virologen-erasmus-willen-grieponderzoek-publiceren.html
WEB-site Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=next-influenza-pandemic&page=2
WEB-site Scientas.nl: http://www.scientias.nl/een-van-de-gevaarlijkste-virussen-ooit-gemaakt/50671
This article has the strangest tone to it. It's as if Ron Fouchier thinks he is simply mixing cocktails, instead of creating a deadly pandemic. Would you please provide the original link to the article, JayRay?