Journal Article

Virology under the Microscope—a Call for Rational Discourse

García-Sastre, Adolfo, Dikeakos, Jimmy, Gaglia, Marta, Neufeldt, Christopher, Frieman, Matthew, Dermody, Terence, Whelan, Sean, Baines, Joel, Lauring, Adam, Roller, Richard, DeCaprio, James, Hancock, Meaghan, Boulant, Steeve, Debbink, Kari, Imperiale, Michael J., Knipe, David, Wallace, Nicholas, Spindler, Katherine, Chan, Gary, Glaunsinger, Britt, Kamil, Jeremy, Liu, Shan-Lu, Coffin, John, Purdy, John, Banfield, Bruce, Broadbent, Andrew, Frappier, Lori, McIntosh, Michael, Münger, Karl, Tompkins, Stephen, Schmid, Scott, Mehle, Andrew, Shenk, Thomas, Ono, Akira, Bhaduri-McIntosh, Sumita, Enquist, Lynn, White, Elizabeth, Mounce, Bryan, Ou, Jing-hsiung, Lowen, Anice C., Vignuzzi, Marco, Cameron, Craig, Sapp, Martin, Parker, John, Sandri-Goldin, Rozanne, Schang, Luis, Langlois, Ryan, Collins, Kathleen, Frueh, Klaus, Naghavi, Mojgan, Heise, Mark, Miller, W. Allen, Lund, Jennifer, Tibbetts, Scott, Russell, Charles, Schultz-Cherry, Stacey, Dinglasan, Rhoel, Heldwein, Ekaterina, Kowalik, Timothy, Karst, Stephanie, Simon, Viviana, Geballe, Adam, Pfeiffer, Julie, Smith, Gregory, Longnecker, Richard, Atwood, Walter, Sutton, Tr

2023

Overview

Viruses have brought humanity many challenges: respiratory infection, cancer, neurological impairment and immunosuppression to name a few. Virology research over the last 60+ years has responded to reduce this disease burden with vaccines and antivirals. Viruses have brought humanity many challenges: respiratory infection, cancer, neurological impairment and immunosuppression to name a few. Virology research over the last 60+ years has responded to reduce this disease burden with vaccines and antivirals. Despite this long history, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented attention to the field of virology. Some of this attention is focused on concern about the safe conduct of research with human pathogens. A small but vocal group of individuals has seized upon these concerns – conflating legitimate questions about safely conducting virus-related research with uncertainties over the origins of SARS-CoV-2. The result has fueled public confusion and, in many instances, ill-informed condemnation of virology. With this article, we seek to promote a return to rational discourse. We explain the use of gain-of-function approaches in science, discuss the possible origins of SARS-CoV-2 and outline current regulatory structures that provide oversight for virological research in the United States. By offering our expertise, we – a broad group of working virologists – seek to aid policy makers in navigating these controversial issues. Balanced, evidence-based discourse is essential to addressing public concern while maintaining and expanding much-needed research in virology.

• Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
• Subject: Antiviral Agents / biosafety / Commentary / Coronavirus / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - prevention & control / DURC / Gain of function / Humans / Pandemics - prevention & control / SARS-CoV-2 / Virology / Viruses