Government Lifts Ban to Allow Deadly Viruses to
be Created The government's plan to combat the rapid spread of deadly viruses was announced on Tuesday. Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health This officially ends a three-year ban on researching viruses that threaten public health like the influenza virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). A panel will review whether the benefits of researching the three viruses outweigh the risks, like accidental exposures. For example, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention exposed its workers to anthrax back in 2014. To prevent this in the future, Collins said researchers, "[should have the ] capacity and commitment to conduct it safely and securely, and have the ability to respond rapidly."
