Labs Shouldn't Hoard Flu Data: Researcher

This article details why a leading scientist is calling on the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as well as researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to publicly release all of their avian influenza (avian flu or bird flu) data and samples in open-access databanks. Steven Salzberg hopes that by opening up access to this data, United States researchers and organisations can lead by example, and persuade scientists and governments elsewhere around the world to share their data. It is hoped that open access databanks can address the recent pattern of virus hoarding which many believe is undermining the world’s ability to effectively battle avian flu.

The campaign for open access was started by Dr. Ilaria Capua, an Italian influenza researcher, who is challenging the current system which gives a small network of prominent flu labs preferential access to a secure database managed by the World Heath Organization (WHO). This current system is being criticised because the limiting of access to data hampers efforts by countries and scientists outside of the WHO network to keep their H5N1 diagnostic tests up to date.

Due to the fact that the viruses belong to the countries where they were collected, the WHO says that it cannot open up the secure database without having permission from all of the collaborating centers and member states. Some members are reluctant to share data because they are concerned about a loss of control over that data and that foreign scientists will publish articles based on their secure information.

The article mentions the need for “a system that takes into account the balances of posting as quickly as possible, working with the host nations where these isolates come from, taking into consideration the importance of scientists being able to publish in peer review journals.” According to the article, there are still many issues that must be worked through in order to create or implement this system.