Hasty Briefsbeta

The NIH ordered me to stop my 'dangerous' gain-of-function research

5 hours ago
  • #Tuberculosis
  • #Public health
  • #Gain-of-function research
  • The NIH ordered the author to stop TB research, deeming it 'dangerous,' despite the lab's decade-long safe operation.
  • TB remains a global threat, killing more people than any other infectious disease, with increasing drug resistance.
  • Gain-of-function research, though politicized, is crucial for medical advances, including TB treatments, vaccines, and gene therapies.
  • The author's research involves making TB bacteria less virulent and using kanamycin resistance as a marker, posing no public risk.
  • The NIH's broad definition of 'dangerous' research could hinder lifesaving studies without clear safety benefits.
  • The proposed 'Risky Research Review Act' may further impede critical research without scientific clarity and streamlined reviews.