Bloomberg: Swine Flu May Be Human Error (MUST READ)

[inna]

quite worth reading in its entirety.

Swine Flu May Be Human Error, Scientist Says; WHO Probes Claim

By Jason Gale and Simeon Bennett

May 12 (Bloomberg) -- The World Health Organization is investigating an Australian researcher’s claim that the swine flu virus circling the globe may have been created as a result of human error.

Adrian Gibbs, 75, who collaborated on research that led to the development of Roche Holding AG’s Tamiflu drug, said in an interview today that he intends to publish a report suggesting the new strain may have accidentally evolved in eggs scientists use to grow viruses and drugmakers use to make vaccines. Gibbs said that he came to his conclusion as part of an effort to trace the virus’s origins by analyzing its genetic blueprint.

The World Health Organization received the study last weekend and is reviewing it, Keiji Fukuda, the agency’s assistant director-general of health security and environment, said in an interview yesterday. Gibbs, who has studied germ evolution for four decades, is one of the first scientists to analyze the genetic makeup of the virus that was identified three weeks ago in Mexico and threatens to touch off the first flu pandemic since 1968.

A virus that resulted from lab experimentation or vaccine production may indicate a greater need for security, Fukuda said. By pinpointing the source of the virus, scientists also may better understand the microbe’s potential for spreading and causing illness, Gibbs said.

....

much more at http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=afrdATVXPEAk&refer=home

[yellowcanine]

1. If it turns out to be true, we need to apologize to the pigs. It should be called "human flu"

[Born_A_Truman]

8. Or, "Human error flu"

[Catshrink]

12. The "Oops, my bad flu"

[scheming daemons]

16. Or simply.... the "Doh Flu"

[Ezlivin]

2. But it was Mexican scientists, right?

Just checking to see if we need to keep the whole "Mexicans did it" meme going...

:sarcasm:

[truedelphi]

18. Well, we can't blame ourselves, can we?

I mean, that would be so unAmerican!

[Ezlivin]

21. This is the United States. Fault MUST lie elsewhere.

We're Number One! We're Number One!

[uppityperson]

3. Lots of "may"s in that "“My guess is that the picture should be a lot clearer over the next few days

"“My guess is that the picture should be a lot clearer over the next few days,” Fukuda said. “We have asked a lot of people to look at this.” "

[phantom power]

4. I don't follow this argument.

It may just be another example of Bad Science Reporting, but the entire argument seems to boil down to this tenuous bit of info:

In addition, his research found the rate of genetic mutation in the new virus outpaced that of the most closely related viruses found in pigs, suggesting it evolved outside of swine, Gibbs said.

I don't even see how that is evidence it evolved outside of swine, much less how it's evidence it came from vaccine manufacturing labs.

[sofa king]

29. I barely understand this, but....

I believe one of the ways a virus' evolution is tracked is by observing and calculating the rate of mutation. A pig's immune system massages the virus in such a way that while individual mutations cannot be predicted, a statistically predictable number of mutations should occur within a single generation of pigs in a set amount of time.

Because the immune systems of infected pigs are the primary influence on mutation, a differing rate of mutation suggests that this particular virus spent time elsewhere. That, of course, is assuming that the researcher has effectively controlled for environmental conditions and disparities of mutation found in different pig populations.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutation_rate

Did that help, or did I just restate the question?

[shraby]

5. I read some time ago that a vaccine for a flu virus that

includes dna from bird flu can't be grown in eggs because of the fact that it has a bird flu in the virus. It was a discussion on the difficulties it would present.

[Joanne98]

6. It was made in a Swiss lab by capitalists who want to make a profit off diaster.

BUSHCO.......

Gilead Sciences, Roche, Bioport and Carlyle Group...Cerberus and Donald Rumsfeld!

And don't worry there will be NO proof cause this guy is going to die within a week!

[CoffeeCat]

11. I find it very interesting, that so many...

...microbiologists, virologists and other disease experts have "suicided".

Let's assume that they were murdered. Is this to decrease the number of experts
who would have the knowledge to figure out criminal wrongdoing? Of does this
mean that these people were participants, or were working in certain labs,
that are connected to the cabal--and they might unknowingly had important
information that someone wanted a lid on?

[AngryAmish]

13. Steve Carlton, in da house!

[kimmerspixelated]

23. Touche'!!!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Which means the lawyers are pricing new Mercedes.

And, if it's true, I hope they prosper.

[madrchsod]

14. maybe one of these ?........

[FraDon]

9. Let's call this what it is: Pharma Warfare.

The research & development "skunkworks" have never closed. Better weapons research, testing and deployment is the opposable thumb of the Fist of Fascism. I'd gamble my lunch money that these toxic tentacles reach back to same black-ops crew who engineered the anthrax "attacks" (gag me with another metaphor).

There's just too frackin much money to be made from pulling the $tring$.

[BeHereNow]

15. Amen n/t

bhn

[uppityperson]

17. on the other hand, influenza viruses mutate

sometimes things happen without it being a conspiracy

[truedelphi]

19. it's a shame when a post like yours, that would have been clearly over the top

Ten years ago, makes sense now.

The revolving door between industry and FDA, the ownership of the "university" laboratories by Big Pharam, that "kindly" donates the research lab monies, the bought and paid for Congress and Presidency, all these help make what you are saying a common sense rationale and viewpoint. With the internet giving the thinking person the ability to piece together the puzzle.

[KT2000]

10. Save the pig farms!!!

Don't mess with corporate interests!

[glitch]

24. Pig Farm vs Big Pharm?

It's Mothra vs Godzilla time!

[KT2000]

25. Tickets ! Tickets!!

Get your tickets here!!!

:popcorn:

[Prometheus Bound]

20. The WHO's Fukuda sounds like a complete idiot. Look how he uses "may".

"A virus that resulted from lab experimentation or vaccine production may indicate a greater need for security," Fukuda said.

[redqueen]

22. Yeah... that's definitely not the right word there.

[inna]

26. for one thing, **this** coming from a Big Pharma stooge...

.... (not to mention, one of THE TOP experts in the field)... is QUITE remarkable.


(personally, i think his age - 75 yo - has something to do with this. and no, i'm not implying in any way that he's less lucid because of his age, it's just that.... he has little to lose at this point.)

[glitch]

27. If true we may have to change its name from Nafta Flu to Pharma Flu. nt

[cbc5g]

28. The question that needs to be asked is, "who profited the most from this disease?"

And you'll find the source of the virus that "leaked out".