And then this article:

Experts condemn plans to lift ban on research into deadly H5N1 birdflu virus

Plans to lift a voluntary ban on research into the deadly H5N1 birdflu virus have been denounced by leading scientists who are appalled that the work has already led to flu strains that are potentially infectious between humans.

Flu researchers announced the moratorium last January after growing concerns about two experiments funded by the US
Government where scientists deliberately mutated H5N1 birdflu to see whether it could be transmitted between ferrets, a standard animal substitute for flu in humans.

The moratorium on deliberately creating highly infectious strains of H5N1 was supposed to last 60 days but has continued for six months.

This weekend, influenza scientists will meet in New York in the hope of lifting the ban and allowing the work to continue.

“I’m not so much worried about terrorism but I am worried about an accidental escape from a laboratory. If it’s as dangerous as they believe, it could kill half the world’s population,” he said.(Dr. Roberts)

Read more here:
[link to www.independent.co.uk]