Controversial H5N1 avian flu research resumes, but the Unites States have decided to stay out of it.
After a lot of drama surrounded the recent bird flu research, the study on the H5N1 avian flu continues but the United States of America is not one of the countries to have joined forces for the continuation of the research.
Journals Science and Nature published a letter from the researchers stating that they were taking a "voluntary pause" in the research. The letter stated, "We declared a pause to this important research to provide time to explain the public-health benefits of this work, to describe the measures in place to minimize possible risks, and to enable organizations and governments around the world to review their policies (for example on biosafety, biosecurity, oversight, and communication) regarding these experiments."
Many governments have issued permission to carry out the research in their countries but U.S still remains undecided and has said that they don't know how long it would take them to come up with a decision. As of now, the U.S. government has announced that no laboratories in the country should carry out any further research on the subject.
The reason behind all the controversy that surrounds this research is because the H5N1 bird flu is very dangerous, though scientists have clarified that they do not pass from person to person easily. The World Health Organization has already reported 355 deaths from 602 people who were affected by this flu.
One of the leading proponents of the research Prof Ron Fouchier, from the Erasmus Medical Center, told the BBC it had been "frustrating" to shut down research for the year.
"This research is urgent, while we are having this pause bird flu virus continues to evolve in nature and we need to continue this research. We cannot wait for another year or two years," he said.
