Is the Debate and “Pause” on Experiments That Alter Pathogens with Pandemic Potential Influencing Future Plans of Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows?

Pfeiffer, Julie K.

Respondents were knowledgeable about the debate; 61% said that they know a fair amount of information about the debate, 34% said that they have heard of the debate but do not know the details, and 5% said that they had not heard about the debate. After learning more about the debate, 5% said that they were more likely to work on influenza, SARS, or MERS virus in the future, 28% said that they were less likely to work on influenza, SARS, or MERS virus in the future, and 51% said that they were equally likely to work on influenza, SARS, or MERS virus in the future. An additional 16% of respondents said that their opinion was unchanged because they are not planning to work on a virus in the future. Finally, for those interested in virology, 12% said that the debate and research pause have changed their future plans/research direction, 51% said that their plans have not changed, and 37% said that the debate and research pause have made them consider other factors in choosing their future plans/research direction.