Is Gain-of-Function Research a Risk Worth Taking ? Or Insanity ?

For years, our officials from Anthony Fauci on down maintained that Covid-19 probably originated from a natural pathway in Wuhan, China. Bats in a wet market, some said.

But according to a new report, the U.S. Energy Department believes the virus likely escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology before going on to kill millions around the world. The FBI and a number of prominent scientists also think Covid may have leaked from the lab, where researchers were allegedly conducting gain-of-function experiments on coronaviruses, potentially making them deadlier. 

Before the winter of 2020, most people had never heard of this type of research, which goes on in labs around the world. But over the past few years, experts have made the compelling argument that it is so risky it could endanger humanity.

And yet, the Biden administration remains supportive of gain-of-function research to help prevent future pandemics as long as it s done safely and with transparency, according to John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications.

But can any of this research ever be done safely or transparently? And is it worth the risks?

As a longtime science writer, I have investigated much of the evidence or lack thereof behind health officials claims during the pandemic. This article won t tell you how Covid-19 started (although, on balance, I d put my money on a lab leak). 

But I can tell you what I ve learned about gain-of-function research what it does, where it s happening, why it s happening, and why I don t feel any safer knowing the answers. 

via www.thefp.com

Oh, I don’t know. Let’s see. In the recent pandemic 6.8 million people died, according to Bing, which is probably a pretty good source on these things. He/She/They/It says the real number may be “much” higher. Call it 3.5 million, discounting the lab leak to a 50 probability, which is a lot more charitable than our mad scientists deserve. In exchange for that, we got the cure for all future corona virus pandemics! Wait! We didn’t? We must have gotten something! What? Nothing? Just a bunch of self-serving pseudo-science? You mean, like, lies?! Well, then we’ll just have to do lots more of this GOF research. Surely, if we do enough of it, and if the human race survives, it will establish, once and for all, just how jolly clever our boffins are. And how lucky we are to have them.