Chat message

Slack / Private Message Drop, p.686 [SLACK_000900] · slack_pm:msg:07196

Date: 2021-04-07 18:21
Type: chat message · slack
recipient: Kristian G. Andersen, Robert F. Garry, Andrew Rambaut
speaker: Edward C. Holmes
Topics: China relations and data access Natural origin / zoonotic spillover

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"Did you ever run into a person called Yang Guoxiang, Senior Engineer, Hubei Wildlife Epidemic Source and Disease Surveillance Center - he was on the China side of the China-WHO study team. Stopped by his rescue center yesterday but he wasn't around. The "ayi" at the gate was kind enough to give me his mobile number though. This place is also a wildlife rescue center. It is also right next to the zoo. Some of these wildlife rescue centers inother parts of the country have been very problematic. There's been an ongoing case of an NGO in Beijing suingone of these places [they're affiliated with the Forestry and Grassland Administration, which handles wildlife protection AND use] in Guangxi. That center frequently "rescued" pangolins and then sent them out the back door tocompanies that procured licenses to hold/breed them. Most of the companies had nothing to do with wildlife. One was an energy company. Others were tied to TCM pharma. The people at the one on the outskirts of Shenzhen Iwent to before were very unfriendly when I stopped by a couple years ago and didn't want to talk about any of their activities. They did have a huge [and hugely weird] taxidermy exhibit ..."

In context

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2021-04-07 18:16 Robert F. Garry open

From Gorman's "FAR AND BALANCED" "reporting." "Whereas many virologists and disease specialists want to collect and study viruses as a way to learn more and be more prepared for outbreaks, Mr. Metzl said he and others wanted more restrictions on virus studies."It absolutely makes sense to establish a global regulatory system overseeing aggressive work with dangerous ordeadly pathogens everywhere," he said.
2021-04-07 18:17 Robert F. Garry open

How did Jamie Metzl become the world 's authority on work on deadly pathogens?
2021-04-07 18:17 Robert F. Garry open

"more restrictions on virus studies" Yeah that's the ticket!
2021-04-07 18:21 Edward C. Holmes open

More from the journo:
2021-04-07 18:21 Edward C. Holmes

"Did you ever run into a person called Yang Guoxiang, Senior Engineer, Hubei Wildlife Epidemic Source and Disease Surveillance Center - he was on the China side of the China-WHO study team. Stopped by his rescue center yesterday but he wasn't around. The "ayi" at the gate was kind enough to give me his mobile number though. This place is also a wildlife rescue center. It is also right next to the zoo. Some of these wildlife rescue centers inother parts of the country have been very problematic. There's been an ongoing case of an NGO in Beijing suingone of these places [they're affiliated with the Forestry and Grassland Administration, which handles wildlife protection AND use] in Guangxi. That center frequently "rescued" pangolins and then sent them out the back door tocompanies that procured licenses to hold/breed them. Most of the companies had nothing to do with wildlife. One was an energy company. Others were tied to TCM pharma. The people at the one on the outskirts of Shenzhen Iwent to before were very unfriendly when I stopped by a couple years ago and didn't want to talk about any of their activities. They did have a huge [and hugely weird] taxidermy exhibit ..."
2021-04-07 18:21 Edward C. Holmes open

Wild.
2021-04-07 18:24 Kristian G. Andersen open

Hah - that's crazy.
2021-04-07 18:24 Kristian G. Andersen open

> How did Jamie Metzl become the world 's authority on work on deadly pathogens? I'm glad he confirmed to Jim that this is all about shutting GOF down though - good to know.
2021-04-07 18:46 Robert F. Garry open

It's more than just GOF research though. It's all work on deadly pathogens. I think that the fight over shutting down work on viruses is a fight worth having.

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