Risks and Benefits of Gain-of-Function Experiments with Pathogens of Pandemic Potential, Such as Influenza Virus: a Call for a Science-Based Discussion

Casadevall, Arturo; Imperiale, Michael J.

Outside the debate on the usual GOF risk-benefit calculations, there are other dangers that need to be considered. First is the possibility that increased scrutiny of experimental science and regulation of influenza virus research will hobble the field. This is already occurring, as influenza virus investigators are forced to respond and adapt to increasing regulation of their field. One must also balance the possible effects on the careers of postdocs and graduate students in the field with increasing oversight due to the desire to protect against possible accidental releases. As the difficulty of carrying out experiments and meeting regulations increases, it may be hard to recruit the best and the brightest to this important field. Second is the danger posed by the absence of work that is simply not done to avoid controversy. Although the importance of work not done is impossible to document, experiments that are not being done could provide major insights simply because they provide more information to inform discussion and debate. Third is the possibility that additional laboratory mishaps will lead to even more draconian regulations that will curtail research more broadly. These dangers are interrelated but have in common a high likelihood that, singly or together, they could pose major disruptions to research on influenza virus and microbiology research in general. Given the importance of the influenza virus research community to preparedness against pandemics, anything interfering with this work is of societal concern, and these dangers need to be incorporated into any discussion of GOF risk-benefit analysis.