smallpox
Editor's Pick Commentary | Therapeutics and PreventionA Holistic Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of the Synthesis of Horsepox VirusThe re-creation of horsepox virus, an extinct orthopoxvirus with similarity to smallpox virus, has caused concerns in the biosecurity and biodefense communities that the technical capabilities achieved could advance the re-creation of smallpox virus by nefarious actors. The work is now published.
Editor's Pick Commentary | Therapeutics and PreventionA Critical Analysis of the Scientific and Commercial Rationales for the De Novo Synthesis of Horsepox VirusThis article evaluates the scientific and commercial rationales for the synthesis of horsepox virus. I find that the claimed benefits of using horsepox virus as a smallpox vaccine rest on a weak scientific foundation and an even weaker business case that this project will lead to a licensed medical countermeasure.