A Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox Virus

ABSTRACT The re-creation of horsepox virus, an extinct orthopoxvirus with similarity to smallpox virus, has caused concerns in the biosecurity and biodefense communities that the technical capabilities achieved could advance the re-creation of smallpox virus by nefarious actors. The work is now publ...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales:	Diane DiEuliis, Gigi Kwik Gronvall
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	American Society for Microbiology 2018
Materias:	bidoefense biosecurity horsepox smallpox Microbiology QR1-502
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/af88fd10ff3442ed9f161dfcf5dda251
Etiquetas:	Agregar Etiqueta Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!

id	oai:doaj.org-article:af88fd10ff3442ed9f161dfcf5dda251
record_format	dspace
spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:af88fd10ff3442ed9f161dfcf5dda2512021-11-15T15:22:14ZA Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox Virus10.1128/mSphere.00074-182379-5042https://doaj.org/article/af88fd10ff3442ed9f161dfcf5dda2512018-04-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphere.00074-18https://doaj.org/toc/2379-5042ABSTRACT The re-creation of horsepox virus, an extinct orthopoxvirus with similarity to smallpox virus, has caused concerns in the biosecurity and biodefense communities that the technical capabilities achieved could advance the re-creation of smallpox virus by nefarious actors. The work is now published. While the authors went through due biosecurity diligence at their research institution and with the proper Canadian federal authorities, now that the experiments have been published, there is an opportunity to discuss the dual use risks and benefits of the research itself, as well as those associated with publication of such research—all of which challenge current policies. Here, an analytical framework is used to assess the risks and benefits of such dual use research, and relevant components of biosecurity policy and the biodefense enterprise (including the acquisition of medical countermeasures) in the United States are discussed. The authors emphasize the need to use such risk/benefit assessments at the onset of research and throughout its development, followed by an assessment for its responsible communication.Diane DiEuliisGigi Kwik GronvallAmerican Society for MicrobiologyarticlebidoefensebiosecurityhorsepoxsmallpoxMicrobiologyQR1-502ENmSphere, Vol 3, Iss 2 (2018)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	bidoefense biosecurity horsepox smallpox Microbiology QR1-502
spellingShingle	bidoefense biosecurity horsepox smallpox Microbiology QR1-502 Diane DiEuliis Gigi Kwik Gronvall A Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox Virus
description	ABSTRACT The re-creation of horsepox virus, an extinct orthopoxvirus with similarity to smallpox virus, has caused concerns in the biosecurity and biodefense communities that the technical capabilities achieved could advance the re-creation of smallpox virus by nefarious actors. The work is now published. While the authors went through due biosecurity diligence at their research institution and with the proper Canadian federal authorities, now that the experiments have been published, there is an opportunity to discuss the dual use risks and benefits of the research itself, as well as those associated with publication of such research—all of which challenge current policies. Here, an analytical framework is used to assess the risks and benefits of such dual use research, and relevant components of biosecurity policy and the biodefense enterprise (including the acquisition of medical countermeasures) in the United States are discussed. The authors emphasize the need to use such risk/benefit assessments at the onset of research and throughout its development, followed by an assessment for its responsible communication.
format	article
author	Diane DiEuliis Gigi Kwik Gronvall
author_facet	Diane DiEuliis Gigi Kwik Gronvall
author_sort	Diane DiEuliis
title	A Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox Virus
title_short	A Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox Virus
title_full	A Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox Virus
title_fullStr	A Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox Virus
title_full_unstemmed	A Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox Virus
title_sort	holistic assessment of the risks and benefits of the synthesis of horsepox virus
publisher	American Society for Microbiology
publishDate	2018
url	https://doaj.org/article/af88fd10ff3442ed9f161dfcf5dda251
work_keys_str_mv	AT dianedieuliis aholisticassessmentoftherisksandbenefitsofthesynthesisofhorsepoxvirus AT gigikwikgronvall aholisticassessmentoftherisksandbenefitsofthesynthesisofhorsepoxvirus AT dianedieuliis holisticassessmentoftherisksandbenefitsofthesynthesisofhorsepoxvirus AT gigikwikgronvall holisticassessmentoftherisksandbenefitsofthesynthesisofhorsepoxvirus
_version_	1718428026120699904

A Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox Virus

Ejemplares similares