Rob Reid has done an interview with Lex Fridman. Rob Reid has looked into the world of gain of function virus research and the simply massive problems with this activity.
These videos are interviews with someone who has done extensive investigation into this type of research, this is what he found and what he thinks.
Lex Fridman interview
Sam Harris interview
Even BSL labs are subject to human error… if we continue research on gain of function viruses one will leak…it could end life on this earth as we know it.
Lex Fridman
Things can and have leaked out of BSL 4 labs…. and gain of function research is usually done at BSL 3.
The safety levels of labs are designed to prevent accidents, not the actions of a malevolent actor.
Rob Reid
H5N1 Example
Two labs, one in the USA and one in Netherlands carried out gain of function research on H5N1. H5N1 is more deadly than Ebola but it is not transmissible between humans.
Is the research worth it?
Is it worth taking the chance of creating a virus that could wipe out humanity?
Perhaps if it’s obvious that H5N1 will develop into a transmissible virus in 5 years. However, there is no evidence of this. And, we are still increasing the risk of H5N1 becoming a problem if we also make it transmissible.
On a cost benefit analysis, there is no comparison.
The potential downsides of creating a virus that can wipe out humanity versus the benefits of being able to do research on a virus like this. A virus that shows no signs, on it’s own, of wiping out humanity.
In short there is no good reason for this type of research. The downsides are total, the upside, deabtable.
Don’t think labs leak?
After September 11 Anthrax leaked from arguably the world’s most secure virus lab (military) into one of the world’s most secure environments (Capital Hill). This is the best argument against the case for labs being secure. There are many more examples.
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