Bird flu data liberated
Agreement reached, in principle, to release avian influenza data.
Researchers studying avian influenza say they have agreed to share data that were previously being kept behind closed doors — a move they hope will speed insights into the virus that threatens to spark a human pandemic.
Read the story here.
Comments
This is a heartening development in the direction of transparency and sharing information early.
It also validates the critical importance of actively listening to a wide range of stakeholders; not being afraid to change course; and in the case of Indonesia -- respectfully acknowledging the outside pressure that led to a change in policy.
Posted by: Jody Lanard M.D. | August 24, 2006 07:33 PM
It certainly is encouraging that agencies want to come together to promote the sharing of information. [p]But there are some issues that have not been worked out:[ol] [li]Will countries receive any benefit from sharing information? [li]Let's follow the money trail. I don't like to be the pessimist here, but what exactly is Peter Bogner's motive for joining in the bird flu arena? After all, he heads the Bogner Organization, a for-profit company that seems to mostly be involved in setting up private television media ventures.
[li]Quicker decifering of bird flu genetic codes will allow for faster development of medicines and vaccines. Good. But information sharing will not be entirely transparent, and perhaps not complete, if founders of the organization GISAID have something to gain from it, like rising share prices of those companies who are developing bird flu vaccines and/or anti-viral drugs.
[/ol][p]
Posted by: Anna Spector, MPH | August 27, 2006 01:07 PM
This is a welcome development. Version control tracking should be used to give researchers appropriate credit for the data they contribute.
I also suggest that genetic information on all samples taken from human and chicken victims of H5N1 could be overlaid onto a map of Indonesia and compared to bird migration routes and human transportation routes (highways, ships going between islands etc).
Indonesia's unique geography should solve the controversy of whether chicken smuggling or migratory birds are spreading the H5N1 HPAI virus.
Bird Flu Pandemic Protection
Posted by: Richard Stooker | August 30, 2006 01:35 PM