May 20, 2013
Scientists are amazed and international concern about a study by scientists of China (China) in the creation of a new two virus strains H5N1 and H1N1.
This study is a typical case of a science-oriented moral difference.
Last week, a group of scientists from the National Veterinary Research Institute in China claim they have succeeded in creating new strains by a coordinating both H5N1 and H1N1 birth. Why did they create a new virus strain? Professor Tran Hoa Lan, chaired the study, explained the team would know more about both H5N1 and H1N1 viruses, thereby developing vaccines against avian influenza.
But the problem is difficult to understand how the "learn more" by creating a new virus strain. It is the international scientific community as well as suspected targets explanation of the research team.
Research unthinking
The process of creating new strains that China may be a technical achievement, but not standard of ethics and social responsibility achievements such as, but not bring anything to the social welfare and reduce the threat of a pandemic.
First of all, need to put the issue in context, and some of the bird flu virus. The influenza viruses are divided into three groups: A, B and C.The group B and C viruses normally found in humans, but we have no great harm.
Except for a few disorders caused acute respiratory tract, they are not likely to be fatal for the patient. But the group A virus is most interesting, because they can quickly mutated into a virus that the immune systems of people do not realize is (and is not capable of preventing them).
Influenza Virus A group consisting of two groups of structural proteins: hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). BP has 15 more with code name H1 to H15. NA has nine more with code name N1 to N9.H1N1 and H5N1 viruses is spending this one. Viruses of the genus H1, H2 and H3 are known in humans spread from 100 last year. Such as the H1N1 virus is not new, as they are present in pigs from all over the world for a long time. But the H5 virus remains an "enemy" foreign to the immune system of humans.
H5N1 and H1N1 viruses are currently the world's attention because of their potential to cause a pandemic. Almost 10 years ago (2004), an H5N1 flu outbreak obfuscation world because people think it could become a pandemic (but that did not happen). However, the H5N1 virus can be transformed into other groups, but the possibility of transformation that we still do not know how.
H1N1 virus is the cause of the accident epidemic in Spain in 1918, killing about 50 million people worldwide in just a year. In 2009, the H1N1 flu (also called swine flu because the virus spreading in pigs) and appeared in less than three months, this flu has spread to 74 countries worldwide with more than 30,000 cases and 200 deaths . Therefore, we can say that the world we live in insecurity because of this dangerous virus can still cause service anytime and anywhere.
Thus, the production of a new virus strains from two potentially dangerous virus is a very difficult thing to understand. Actually, the Chinese scientists are not the first group to think of this study. A group of Dutch researchers have also experimented (and published) on the H5N1 virus, but they do not work to stop students with H1N1 is not so safe. Professor Simon Wain-Hobson said that the achievements of the Chinese team can technically admirable, but he said that they are not mindful that they do.
As soon as scientific articles published, the famous microbiologist in the world have condemned this action of the Chinese team. Former president of the Academy of British (Lord May of Oxford) said that the study of China did help us learn more about avian influenza and not help in the prevention of this dangerous virus.
Not only did not help, the scientists also warn if new strains that they created in labs are "removed" out, a new pandemic will occur and become a catastrophe for the world. Scientists have estimated that if the mortality rate ranged from 0.1 to 20%, and if a pandemic affecting 500 million people, the number of deaths could range from half a million to 100 million people .
Richard Ebright, a microbiologist reputation of the United States, do not appreciate the work of China. He said that this project did not have new information to put the world on such a risk.
A lack of moral science
In recent years, the world has witnessed many acts of the irresponsible nature TQ. Not talking about the aggressive military moves to aggression with neighboring countries, China also launched several world-toxic products. Bureau of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had pointed out that seafood from China are often infected with multiple chemicals causing health hazards, including cancer, for consumers in the long run as resistance Birth nitrofuran, malachite green substances, dyes and fluoroquinolones antibiotics.
Vegetables are laced chemicals, chemicals used to embalm the body, fresh fruit, rice is made from rubber, rat meat "call processing" the lamb ... The list of toxic goods from China is probably not over. One more reason to be cautious with the products and goods of China.
A few years ago, a book titled Death at the hands of China (Death by China) by Professor Peter Navarro and Greg Autry (USA) shocked the world.
The authors pointed out a series of dangerous products produced by China and sold in the market world. From children's toys, bracelets, necklaces, fake drugs, fake drugs, fire phone, fruits contain dangerous bacteria ... all the tools to become a slow killer. One expert commented that the remark is China that is poisoning the world with toxic products and pollution.
It is the product of an unscrupulous business background, while a significant number of Chinese businessmen to get rich quick did anything, despite the conventional social morality and business ethics.Business not based on morality and social responsibility seriously is a dangerous business.
Similarly, in science, ethics and responsibility is also an important criterion. A research project feasible even higher and has a good idea, but detrimental to the community and society is not judged to be the norm. Because of the nature of scientific ethics, scientist must also be accountable to society, because scientists have only a member of society, unable to stand or higher social standing.
The process of creating new strains that China may be a technical achievement, but not standard of ethics and social responsibility for achievements that do not provide benefits to society or to reduce the threat of a pandemic.
This is not the first time people have questioned the ethics of scientific research from China. Many research works are not the international scientific journal published because of ethical issues. In the past there have been medical studies seriously violated medical ethics and withdrawn, not published in international scientific journals.
In 2009, a group of Chinese scientists decode genome cucumber fruit, a year after they have decoded genome projects related to intelligence. The project on the application of stem cells for the treatment of trauma, birth defects, chronic disease ... are international scientific doubt as ethical issues. China is also the birthplace of so much "invented" nothing more to do martial arts in Shandong style laughing even Chinese people.
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