THIRD WORLD NETWORK BIOSAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE

21 May 2005

 
Dear Friends and colleagues,
 
RE: No World Health Assembly Endorsement of Genetically Engineered Smallpox virus
 
In 2 days of discussion on Tuesday and Friday, a number of developing and developed countries objected to proposals for expanded research on smallpox virus, including the genetic engineering of this lethal virus. Thus there was no endorsement for this plan by the 58th World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting at the World Health Organisation headquarters in Geneva from 16 to 25 May.
 
Below is a report of the statements made by a number of countries on Friday, with many calling for the destruction of remaining stocks of the virus, as agreed in an earlier WHA resolution. The US, Russia and Australia are the proponents for more research while China supported by Canada, Cuba and Saudi Arabia asked for a date to destroy the remaining smallpox virus stocks. South Africa supported by Zimbabwe called for a new, more representative and transparent "task team" to reassess existing smallpox virus research.
 
For more information on this issue please see BIS (4 April) "Campaign to stop smallpox genetic engineering" and BIS (9 May) "WHO DG questions smallpox recommendation" and BIS (19 May) "World Health Assembly debates smallpox virus research".
 

With best wishes,
 
Chee Yoke Heong
Third World Network
121-S Jalan Utama
10450 Penang
Malaysia
Email: twnet@po.jaring.my
Website: www.twnside.org.sg

  
REF: Doc.TWN/Biosafety/2005/J
 
No WHA Endorsement of Genetically Engineered Smallpox virus
Countries Urge Review of Recommendations and Variola Advisory Committee
 
By Edward Hammond (The Sunshine Project) and Lim Li Ching (Third World Network)

(Geneva, 20 May) - On Friday afternoon, the 58th World Health Assembly (WHA) resumed its discussion on the issue of destruction of smallpox virus stocks. The previous day had seen some countries raise questions about a set of recommendations from a WHO advisory committee that would have dramatically expanded research on live smallpox virus.
 
South Africa took the floor first, reminding delegates of the WHA's previous commitment to destroy the remaining live virus stocks, held in two labs, one in the US and the other in Russia. Taking a strong stance, South Africa called for research on the live virus to be stopped. It proposed the establishment of a 'task team', with better balance and broader representation than the Variola Advisory Committee (VAC). The 'task team' would evaluate the status of work with live smallpox virus and its oversight.
 
South Africa called for a review of all the VAC recommendations, including the genetic engineering of smallpox and the wider distribution of smallpox DNA, as well as that to permit expression of smallpox genes in related poxviruses, an item that the WHO Director General has already expressed concern over.
 
Germany took the floor and made no reference to smallpox virus research. In contrast, The Netherlands said that it was "quite concerned about the dangers" of the proposed research, and was not satisfied that adequate protections are in place. It questioned the need to genetically engineer smallpox. The Netherlands called for an independent body to oversee research and for reconsideration of the VAC recommendations.
 
Canada reminded delegates that any research on smallpox should remain geared to precise results and be time-limited. Canada insisted that any live virus research "must be essential for public health". In this respect, Canada, expressed concerns that US research on antivirals (linked to the proposal to genetically engineer smallpox) would be lengthy and costly, asking "Is this really essential for public health?"
 
Like many other delegations, Canada was concerned about laboratory accidents and the possibility of genetic engineering experiments resulting in a more dangerous virus. Canada called for prompt destruction of the virus and expressed support for China's request yesterday that WHO follow up on the issue of fixing a new date for the destruction of smallpox virus stocks.
 
The Pacific island nation of Tonga weighed in with a thoughtful intervention. Concerned about the proposed widespread distribution of smallpox DNA, Tonga observed that "too many hands on smallpox will enhance the possibility of bioterrorism". Tonga also said that it is not convinced that the prohibition on the synthesis of smallpox DNA was strong enough. Tonga concluded that virus stocks should be rapidly destroyed and that thereafter, possession of live smallpox virus should be made a "crime against humanity".

In contrast to the prevailing sentiment in the room, the US stated that it "agrees entirely with Russia", which had yesterday called for even more live virus research than the recommendations presented by the VAC. Noting the possibility of undeclared smallpox stocks, the US said that its research is not finished and that setting a date for destruction would be "arbitrary" and "not at all warranted". In response to Canada, the US strongly backed its antiviral research plans.
 
Apparently smarting from repeated references to lab accidents, the US characterized the chances of an accident as "incredibly small" and claimed that existing smallpox stocks are held at "the absolute highest standards of biosafety and biosecurity". It is, however, unclear to what standards the US referred because there are no international lab biosafety or biosecurity standards, nor does the US have domestic lab biosafety standards. Backing Russia, the US said that it believed further sequencing of the Russian smallpox stocks is necessary for developing diagnostics.
 
France, like Germany before it, made no remarks on smallpox virus research.
 
Cuba made a brief intervention mentioning laboratory accidents and calling for a destruction date to be set. Cuba asked the WHO Executive Board to develop a resolution to this effect.
 
Egypt then took the floor and briefly stated that it supports the research.
 
Saudi Arabia noted that sufficient sequencing and diagnostics research has been conducted and that smallpox virus should no longer be retained for these purposes. Saudi Arabia called for research and manipulation of the live virus to be stopped and for a date for destruction to be set as previously mandated by the WHA.
 
Pakistan expressed qualified support for live virus research, adding that it is concerned about lab accidents. Pakistan called for the virus repositories to be open to full inspection and for a comprehensive system of oversight.
 
Brazil supported the Secretariat's report as tabled, adding that research results and diagnostic methods should be disseminated.
 
The UK supported ongoing research for the development of vaccines and antivirals, adding that such research be outcome oriented and time limited. However, the UK "strongly" shared the WHO Director General's biosafety and biosecurity concerns about the VAC proposals. The UK said that all research should be under WHO control and that live smallpox virus should not be proliferated.
 
Zimbabwe supported South Africa's call for a more representative 'task team' to reassess live smallpox virus work and its oversight. It supported greater research transparency and for the WHA to be kept better informed.
 
Thailand reminded the WHA of its previous resolutions calling for destruction of remaining stocks. Thailand expressed reservations about the ill-defined limits of permissible research in the Secretariat's report. It was also concerned about the proposed wider distribution of smallpox DNA and said that such distribution should be decided by WHO on a case-by-case basis.
 
Ending the discussion, the United Arab Emirates said that the stocks should be kept in well-guarded facilities.
 
Responding on behalf of the WHO Secretariat, Dr Asamoa-Baah noted the Russian, Australian and US interventions. He took special note of the "concerns and caution" about the VAC recommendations articulated by the majority of countries. Dr Asamoa-Baah noted that countries had asked for a review and revisit of the recommendations.
 
Committee A of the WHA which had discussed this issue then noted the Secretariat reports and the agenda item was closed.

For more information see www.smallpoxbiosafety.com