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Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Disease on the decision to resume research into transmission of the flu strain...
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Were close to making the bird -- transmissible.
In a model for person to person infections not poultry to person as it's transmitted.
Forty experts from nine nations now say they're ending that moratorium.
What to make -- -- doctor Anthony out.
-- -- of allergy and infectious diseases doctor great to see you why did this now and pursue.
This line of research.
Well it's very important to pursue the line of research because this particular virus the bird flu is still smoldering.
Particularly in southeast Asia we have very few cases but they continue to reappear.
So scientists need to stay ahead of the situation to -- -- figure out.
What the characteristics.
Of this particular virus is what is it that might make it transmissible.
As you correctly mentioned.
It is very poorly transmissible now even from chicken to human.
And it is almost never transmitted from human to human.
But this is something that could happen and that's the reason why we need to be on god for itself the research.
Is aimed at keeping us better informed and understanding this process that's the reason why -- these scientists feel.
That we should continue with caution.
And making sure we do all the regular bio safety and by security issues but that this type of research you continue.
That was my next question how do we know that this research is say how can we guarantee that.
Well first of all I mean when you do research there's always been very small risks these risks of very highly mitigated by very strict.
By -- security bio safety.
Training of investigate is done under the proper containment and this is exactly what has been going on.
There is concerned about the information if for example you get information about how it might be spread that it might fall into the wrong hands.
So you gotta make sure that in fact.
Before you do an experiment that the benefits of public health to global health.
Fall ways out any risk that you might have -- this -- that really the subject of a considerable amount of discussion.
That began well over a year ago when the moratorium was first put in place.
In January of 2012.
And is now extended for a year and then just last week.
They was lifted but lifted with the proviso.
That the experiments not be done unless certain very strict criteria are met.
And really quickly doctor -- and where.
-- is being done in various labs all over the world are too big experiments that were where were the subject of the discussion.
-- conducted in Wisconsin with you with NIH funding as well as in Rotterdam.
In the Netherlands but there are other investigators throughout the world that are doing these type of research.
Thank you doctor it's great to speak with you.
On this some saying Guillermo developing subject doctor -- --
