How risky should disease research be?
Gain-of-function research, where viruses are manipulated to understand how they can spread or become more deadly, has been a controversial topic in scientific circles. The goal of such experiments is to gain knowledge that can help prepare us for future pandemics. But the risk of this type of research is high – a dangerous virus could potentially escape the laboratory and cause a global catastrophe.
An example of this type of research that raises concern is a 2012 study where researchers altered the H5N1 influenza virus so it could spread more easily among mammals. Such studies have sparked discussions among scientists about whether the knowledge gained is worth the risk of a virus escaping from a laboratory.
The debate over gain-of-function research is divided, with scientists disagreeing on whether the potential benefits outweigh the dangers. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been speculation about whether SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19, could have escaped from a laboratory. Although there is no concrete evidence, the pandemic has highlighted how potentially dangerous research can have global consequences. One thing is clear: if it goes wrong, the consequences could be catastrophic for the entire world.