From Adrian Gibbs, Australian National University
The plan to start research on smallpox again and to generate genetically modified viruses containing various bits of its DNA is total madness (28 May, p 6). The history of virology is littered with laboratory escapes, and although GM smallpoxes will probably be as easy to eradicate as the original viruses, the other GM viruses, containing smaller bits of smallpox, may not be.
All the proposed experiments would be better done using other, safer poxviruses. No virulence tests can be done with smallpox, and what is the point of smallpox-specific antivirals (even if they are found) when antivirals that target the whole family of poxviruses might have a greater range of uses.
The imprimatur for this dangerous project is provided by the World Health Organization’s Variola Virus Committee. One can only assume that someone thought that smallpox was more likely than other viruses to register with our world leaders and paymasters, with their penchant for fear and terror. Perhaps the WHO Variola Virus Committee should adopt the motto: “Well, it seemed a good idea at the time”.
Canberra, ACT, Australia
