BMJ  2005;330:1230 (28 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7502.1230

News

World Health Assembly votes not to destroy smallpox virus

Janice Hopkins Tanne

New York

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The world's two remaining stocks of smallpox virus, kept in Russia and in the United States, should not be destroyed just yet, the World Health Assembly decided last week at its meeting in Geneva. Scientists may be allowed to genetically manipulate fragments of the virus to evaluate new drugs and treatments.

Smallpox was eradicated 25 years ago. Because vaccination stopped, many people lack immunity to the virus. Smallpox kills about a quarter to a third of those infected and leaves many survivors scarred or blind.

Both the United States and Russia spoke in favour of keeping the virus and extending the research period, but experts are concerned. Dr Georges Benjamin, head of the American Public Health Association, said, "This is a disease that doesn't exist anywhere in the world. Nobody would want it to get out of the lab accidentally. The only rational reason [to do research] is if there's . . . [Full text of this article]


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