From Our Partners
Monday, July 4, 2022
News on Pathogens and Preparedness
Global Biodefense
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
Global Biodefense
No Result
View All Result
Home Biosecurity

NIH Responds to Leaked Letter Criticizing NSABB Process

by Global Biodefense Staff
May 8, 2012

Last month, a prominent member of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB), Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, wrote an internal memo criticizing the process in which the NSABB reversed its recommendation to disallow publication of two H5N1 transmissibility studies.

The Osterholm letter was addressed to Dr. Amy P. Patterson, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Associate Director for Science Policy, with copies distributed to the rest of the NSABB and to other NIH staff members close the process. The chief complaint in the Osterholm letter was the opinion that the meeting agenda, invited participants, and some content elements were biased towards creating a decision where the board would recommend full publication of the controversial bird flu studies.

The letter was eventually leaked and published in the journal ScienceInsider, adding to what was already a whirlwind of political and scientific debate on government oversight of “dual-use” research of concern. (See CIDRAP Director Letter to NSABB Leaked – April  16). The new controversy prompted further requests from the Senate for testimony on biosecurity oversight processes of federal agencies funding life science research.

A second leaked letter surfaced last week in the online scientific journal Nature, which published in full a lengthy response from Patterson to Osterholm. The letter was dated April 25, 2012 and contained a nearly point-by-point repudiation of the Osterholm complaints.

Patterson begins by asserting  Osterholm might not have understood that the “clearly communicated” intent of the March 29-30 NSABB meeting was not  to “reconsider” a previous decision recommending against publication of the studies, but rather to assess “revised” versions of the manuscripts in question.

Patterson goes on to counter allegations of a “one-sided” agenda by stating that a draft agenda was circulated to all NSABB members for feedback, none of which was provided by Osterholm prior to the meeting.  “The agenda was not designed to produce any specific outcome other than a rigorous scientific discussion of the manuscripts and any dual use implications,” Patterson states.

Read the Patterson Letter in full at Nature (.pdf)

From Our Partners
Tags: Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC)NIH

Related Posts

Dual Use Research of Concern: NIH to Host Stakeholder Engagement Meeting on Oversight Policies
Biosecurity

Dual Use Research of Concern: NIH to Host Stakeholder Engagement Meeting on Oversight Policies

June 14, 2022
BARDA and JPEO-CBRND Back Cepheid’s Multiplex Test for Influenza, SARS-CoV2 and RSV
Health Security

Resurgent COVID-19, Flu and Other Viruses are Pushing New Zealand’s Health System to the Limit

June 2, 2022
Supplemental Funding for Research at NIAID Regional Biocontainment Laboratories
Biosecurity

Supplemental Funding for Research at NIAID Regional Biocontainment Laboratories

May 5, 2022
Federal Select Agent Program Clarifies Requirements for Botulinum Neurotoxin Gene Constructs
Health Security

Federal Select Agent Program Clarifies Requirements for Botulinum Neurotoxin Gene Constructs

May 4, 2022
Load More

Latest News

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps

June 22, 2022
Monkeypox Diagnostics: CDC Authorizes Five Commercial Lab Companies

Monkeypox Diagnostics: CDC Authorizes Five Commercial Lab Companies

June 22, 2022
UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

June 21, 2022
Influenza Research

New Way to Identify Influenza A Virus Lights Up When Specific Virus Targets are Present

June 20, 2022

Subscribe

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC