Obama Administration Freezes ‘Gain-of-Function’ Research on Influenza, Other Pathogens
On Friday, the Obama administration announced it has temporarily halted funding new "gain-of -function" research that involves making influenza or other pathogens more transmissible or deadly. The funding freeze comes after experts last month criticized the federal government for not addressing gain-of-function research in its guidelines for "dual-use research of concern," or research on pathogens that can be used for legitimate reasons and also for biowarfare.
- "White House Halts Funding on Risky Flu Studies" (Steenheysen, Reuters, 10/20).