Thread: A Lethal Mixture: Swine and Bird Flu. Can We Trust Baxter, G

May 17, 2009

A Lethal Mixture: Swine and Bird Flu. Can We Trust Baxter, GSK and the WHO?
By John Stone

The most recent paroxysm in the swine flu saga begs some interesting questions which scarcely ought to be swept aside. Last week veteran Australian scientist, Adrian Gibbs, author of 250 peer review studies raised the issue whether H1N1 virus could have been created in a lab error. Of course, denials were rapid. ABC News reported (HERE.)

“"Technically it's plausible but not likely," (said) Christopher Ohl, an associate professor of medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and a specialist in infectious diseases.

“"In this case I'm not concerned that this virus represents anything other than a naturally occurring mixture of viruses happening in nature," concluded Dr. Julie Gerberding, an infectious disease expert and the former director of the CDC...

“Regardless of the validity of Gibb's claims, he and several experts say that just bringing the idea of laboratory security to the public's attention is important.

“ "There are lives at risk," Gibbs said. "The sooner this idea gets out, the better."

“In 2001, foot-and-mouth disease led to the slaughter of more than 6 million animals, all after a vial went missing from a research laboratory in the United Kingdom.

“Since then, however, experts said lab security and regulations have been getting tighter and better.

“"Laboratories have a lot of security from having this happen, and it's very unlikely," Ohl said of the new theory about swine flu's origin.â€

When the accusation is logical and the denial instant, you know they've hit on the truth.

PS | May 19, 2009 at 03:40 AM