A meeting of influenza researchers in Times Square New York featured Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), who recommended that researchers continue to honor a self-imposed moratorium on certain experiments with highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, saying that researchers needed to better justify the benefits of the research to the public.

During a lengthy question and answer session following his presentation, lines were drawn between researchers who agreed and those who disagreed with continuing the moratorium, which was on a narrow type of experiment that endow H5N1 with new properties, such as the ability to transmit between mammals. Although originally planned for 60 days, it has been in place since late in January.

Part of this policy would include the formation of a government-wide agency tasked with developing and implementing guidelines for federally funded researchers in a way that involves input from all interested parties including the lay public, scientists in other fields and the global community.

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