Super 🧵 by @kundan_official on recent @Forbes article claiming (but failing) to scientifically debunk the lab leak hypothesis.
One point to discuss in more detail: how should scientists working with pandemic viruses balance academic freedoms with the risk of causing pandemics?
One point to discuss in more detail: how should scientists working with pandemic viruses balance academic freedoms with the risk of causing pandemics?
https://twitter.com/kundan_official/status/1396115836444692480
Author @StartsWithABang is worried conspiracy theories could threaten scientific autonomy of select scientists whose work can have catastrophic impact. And rightly points out that we live in a world where gov cannot be depended upon to effectively respond to emerging pathogens.
For instance, the country that is potentially the source of a lab escaped pathogen may not tell other countries what was done with virus X in the lab. And other countries, even after seeing videos of mass death, may think their country is magically immune to pandemics.
We also live in a society where people on extreme ends (including those in power) can behave irrationally and endanger each other’s personal safety.
Even if a lab escape was an accident, many people may not be able to accept the accidental nature of it and are out for blood.
Even if a lab escape was an accident, many people may not be able to accept the accidental nature of it and are out for blood.
We ideally want to reach a place where cutting edge pathogen research is performed to develop therapeutics/vaccines, but in the most transparent and safest (remote) way possible.
I don’t want to be back here in X years wondering if the pandemic then came from another lab leak.
I don’t want to be back here in X years wondering if the pandemic then came from another lab leak.
Some scientists who had nothing to do with work being done in Wuhan are feeling reasonably anxious right now. Someone else’s massive mistake might result in pitchforks coming your way.
My recommendation to these scientists is to advocate as much as you can for an investigation.
My recommendation to these scientists is to advocate as much as you can for an investigation.
The more scientists try to debunk a plausible origin hypothesis, in the absence of any dispositive evidence or intelligence, the less reliable and more self-interested they seem.
It starts to look like academic freedom >> millions of lives.
It starts to look like academic freedom >> millions of lives.
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