AUTHOR=Evans Nicholas Greig 

TITLE=Ethical and Philosophical Considerations for Gain-of-Function Policy: The Importance of Alternate Experiments

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2018

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2018.00011

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2018.00011

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=The Framework for Guiding Funding Decisions about Proposed Research Involving Enhanced Potential Pandemic Pathogens contains a series of principles for governing the funding and conduct of Gain of Function (GOF) research resulting in the creation of potential pandemic pathogens (PPPs). In this article, I address one of these principles, governing the replacement of GOF research with alternate experiments. I argue that the principle fails to address the way that different experiments can promote the same values as those promoted by GOF research resulting in PPPs. I then address some objections to this claim, and provide policy recommendations moving forward.