PHA-Exchange> Smallpox countdown

Sat Apr 30 08:59:35 PDT 2005

Smallpox Countdown: WHA Meets in Three Weeks
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In just over three weeks, the World Health Assembly
will meet and consider the recommendations to permit
genetically-engineered smallpox. On Monday, May 16th,
the 58th WHA meeting begins in Geneva, Switzerland.  A
final decision is likely to be taken on May 25th, the 
day the meeting adjourns.

The smallpox item comes early in the meeting's agenda
and discussions are likely to begin only a day or two
after the meeting opens.  This means that it is
important for governments and the WHO to hear from 
citizens, scientists, and non-profits before the WHA
starts.  Please contact your Health Ministry and ask
others to send a letter to WHO as soon as possible.

The 58th WHA will decide if the world is going to get
back on the path to the final destruction of smallpox
virus, or will continue its potentially irreversible
slide into smallpox genetic engineering and expansion
of live virus research.

[You can find links to many Health Ministries at the
following web page:
http://www.smallpoxbiosafety.org/ministries.html.]

WHO Director General Rejects One Recommendation - What
About the Others?
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In good news for the smallpox biosafety campaign, the
WHO Director General has recommended that the World
Health Assembly reject one of the recommendations 
to permit the insertion of smallpox
genes in related poxviruses.  It is unusual for a WHO
Director General to reject an Advisory Committee
recommendation.  The Director-General's position
indicates that insufficient assessment has been made
of the recommendation.

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