Reading Room Production — page 370

From: "Kerr, Lawrence D." EEE @0sp.c0p.gov> E (@bhs.gov, "Fauci, Anthony (NIH/NIAID)" <AFAUCI@niaid.nih.gov>, (@bhs.gov, "Bernard, Kenneth" (@who.eop.gov>, "Tavel, Jorge" (@ovp.eop.gov>, "Dale, Shana L." (@ostp.eop.gov> Ce: "Green, Terry M. (NIH/NIAID)" EE onic .nih.gov>, "Harrington, Kathryn M." I@ostp.eop.gov> Subject: FW: New Scientist: US develops lethal new viruses Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 08:53:48 -0500 Importance: Normal Good morning, Dr. Marburger and General Gordon met this morning to discuss this news release. I had been over the scientific presentation that Mark Buller gave in Geneva with Dr. Marburger so he knows that the news article doesn't reflect the true nature of the science and the development of countermeasures (anti-IL-4 mAb) that Mark has worked on. None-the-less there are some serious concerns that this raises and they have asked that we solicit Dr. Fauci's and HHS's opinion on this work and the proper response (if any) that we should be prepared to give. Coincidently, Mark Buller just called and we had a good talk. He is quite upset with the tone of the article. I made a couple of requests to him- First, that he contact St. Louis University's public relations department and fill them in on his scientific work. Kathryn I offered your contact information should they want to talk to someone here. Secondly, I ask him to review some talking points and Q&As for me. I am preparing a non-scientific version of his observations, balanced with the work he has done to develop prophylactic countermeasures. I am working on Q&As for Mark McClellan should they be needed. I will share all of this with you as they are prepared and ask for your comments. Mark is sending me his ppt from Geneva (I only have the handouts currently). More to come.... Larry US develops lethal new viruses 19:00 29 October 03 Exclusive from New Scientist Print Edition. Ascientist funded by the US government has deliberately created an extremely deadly form of mousepox, a relative of the smallpox virus, through genetic engineering. The new virus kills all mice even if they have been given antiviral drugs as well as a vaccine that would normally protect them. The work has not stopped there. The cowpox virus, which infects a range of animals including humans, has been genetically altered in a similar way. The new virus, which is about to be tested on animals, should be lethal only to mice, Mark Buller of the University of St Louis told New Scientist. He says his work is necessary to explore what bioterrorists might do. But the research brings closer the prospect of pox viruses that cause only mild infections in humans being turned into diseases lethal even to people who have been vaccinated. And vaccines are currently our main defence against smallpox and its relatives, such as the monkeypox that reached the US this year. Some researchers think the latest research is risky and unnecessary. "I have great concern about doing this in a pox virus that can cross species," said lan Ramshaw of the Australian National University in Canberra on being told of Buller's work. Ramshaw was a member of the team that accidentally discovered how to make mousepox more deadly (New Scientist, 13 January 2001). But the modified mousepox his team created was not as deadly as Buller's.