In Wisconsin, a recent legislative proposal aiming to prohibit research that could potentially enhance the danger of human pathogens has sparked worries among scientists. The bill, currently in the early stages of the legislative process, has raised concerns about potential hindrances to a wide array of microbiology studies. Scientists fear that such state-level restrictions, exemplified by Wisconsin's bill, might clash with or surpass upcoming federal limitations on gain-of-function (GOF) research.
The legislative proposal in Wisconsin has instigated a debate, particularly championed by a small group of scientists, who advocate for a ban on specific GOF studies. Some of these scientists assert that such research played a role in the COVID-19 pandemic, proposing the theory that the causative virus escaped from a Chinese lab where a less harmful virus was intentionally or unintentionally made more lethal.
While virologists and other experts predominantly favor a natural origin for the pandemic, critics argue that the bill may create uncertainty, discouraging vital research efforts aimed at preparing for future pandemics. The bill, part of a broader trend with similar proposals in Texas and enacted laws in Florida, addresses concerns related to GOF research, a topic that gained prominence 13 years ago when labs funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health modified the H5N1 bird flu virus.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison, home to virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a key figure in the GOF research debate, has been a focal point in this context. Kawaoka, whose 2011 studies triggered the GOF discussion, has faced safety concerns in his lab, prompting a legislative response in the form of Wisconsin bill AB413. This bill seeks to prohibit enhanced potential pandemic pathogen (ePPP) studies by withholding state funding for institutions engaging in such research.
Critics argue that the bill's broad definition of pathogens that could cause a pandemic may obstruct routine studies, impacting thousands of researchers in Wisconsin. Despite its potential passage, Wisconsin's Democratic governor is unlikely to sign the bill. Meanwhile, scientists eagerly await the release of new federal ePPP policy, anticipated since Congress mandated its completion by the end of 2023.
More: https://www.science.org/content/article/wisconsin-bill-restrict-pathogen-studies-worries-scientists
