This is actually quite disconcerting, in the backdrop of questions surrounding SARS-CoV-2.
Yea, this is terrifying
[deleted]
FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
11–20 of 71 posts
Re: FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
#12This risk has been acknowledged for a long time. Shortly after 9/11 and the anthrax attacks in 2001, the US began stockpiling enough smallpox vaccine for the whole country[1].
They claim to have kept that stockpile going[2] but they also said the same of the PPE stockpile...
[1] - https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2001/11/acambis-...
[2] - https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/bioterrorism-response-planning/...
Re: FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
there's no need for that when samples of the virus itself are still retained by two laboratories: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox_virus_retention_debat...
There are a lot more people who will soon have access to genome fabrication technology (there are already companies that do this as a service) than can break into a BSL4+ laboratory and steal one of the few remaining smallpox samples.
Would smallpox survive in a microscope slide? I remember my late grandpa had a microscope slide labeled smallpox in his basement. He was an old time doctor and had all sorts of neat things down there after he died. I don’t remember what happened but think the slide is still sitting in a storage shed or something. Always been curious about the risk of having such a slide.
Re: FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are a lot more people who will soon have access to genome fabrication technology (there are already companies that do this as a service) than can break into a BSL4+ laboratory and steal one of the few remaining smallpox samples.
Would smallpox survive in a microscope slide? I remember my late grandpa had a microscope slide labeled smallpox in his basement. He was an old time doctor and had all sorts of neat things down there after he died. I don’t remember what happened but think the slide is still sitting in a storage shed or something. Always been curious about the risk of having such a slide.
Not a (real) scientist, but I think unlikely. The concern I see from scientists are bodies buried in permafrost, but ice preserves in a way basements don't.
Re: FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
#15> Complications of smallpox included encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), corneal ulcerations (an open sore on the clear, front surface of the eye), and blindness. A tragic reminder of the horror inflicted on indigenous people by the colonies that would become the United States[1]. A bioweapon used to craft the narrative of the empty, pristine continent, bestowed by God for the fulfillment of Manifest Destiny[2]…
One doesn't have terribly much to do with the other. Smallpox was introduced to the Americas in 1520. The only recorded attempt to deliberately infect Native Americans with it was in 1763 by a British officer. By 1803 the US government was already running smallpox vaccination programs for the Native American tribes with which they had contact. Not that the later Manifest Destiny actions weren't horrific and devastating, but they had nothing to do with creating an idea of a clean continent using disease. 19th century Americans were more than happy to invade and seize land that was fully inhabited.
Re: FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
#16> Tembexa received priority review, fast track This is the same rating the COVID vaccines received. Either we are reacting to a real threat or preparing for perceived threat. It is possible some variola virus variant is being produced in a lab. This would obviously pose a risk necessitating precautionary measures.
There's not really any way to do efficacy testing.
(safety testing in uninfected people should yield some information of course)
Re: FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
#17> Tembexa received priority review, fast track This is the same rating the COVID vaccines received. Either we are reacting to a real threat or preparing for perceived threat. It is possible some variola virus variant is being produced in a lab. This would obviously pose a risk necessitating precautionary measures.
No, that’s not the same review process. You can take your tinfoil hat off.
Re: FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are a lot more people who will soon have access to genome fabrication technology (there are already companies that do this as a service) than can break into a BSL4+ laboratory and steal one of the few remaining smallpox samples.
Would smallpox survive in a microscope slide? I remember my late grandpa had a microscope slide labeled smallpox in his basement. He was an old time doctor and had all sorts of neat things down there after he died. I don’t remember what happened but think the slide is still sitting in a storage shed or something. Always been curious about the risk of having such a slide.
No, if the slide was prepared for storage the sample would have been embedded in a preservative with the cover glass glued down around the perimeter. The sample would likely be mixed with a mixture of alcohol, glycerin, and acetic acid known as AGA to prevent decomposition, this would kill any bacteria or viruses in the sample.
I have a microscope from my uncle, also a doctor, which came with a ton of slides he prepared. If you don't know someone who had to build that collection of their own specimens in med school, you can get all kinds of prepared slides commercially:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0836SH17X
> Human Cell Mucus Membrane Smear 72 Dense Connective Tissue Section 73 Ciliated Epithelium Section 74 Oesophagus T.S. 75 Stomach Section 76 Small Intestine Section 77 Lung sec 78 Liver Section 79 Kidney Section 80 Spleen Section 81 Pancreas Section 82 Urinary Bladder Section 83 Ureter C.S. 84 Ovary Section 85 Testis Section 86 Oviduct T.S. 87 Uterus Sec. 88 Tongue L.S. 89 Trachea C.S. 90 Epididymis sec. 91 Large vein sec. 92 Thymus Sec. 93 Human Blood Smear 94 Motor Nerve W.M. 95 Spinal Cord C.S. 96 Human Hair W.M. 97 Artery and Vein C.S. 98 Arteriole C.S. 99 Human Skin Sweat Gland Section 100 Skin of Human(show hair follicle) Sec.
Re: FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are a lot more people who will soon have access to genome fabrication technology (there are already companies that do this as a service) than can break into a BSL4+ laboratory and steal one of the few remaining smallpox samples.
Would smallpox survive in a microscope slide? I remember my late grandpa had a microscope slide labeled smallpox in his basement. He was an old time doctor and had all sorts of neat things down there after he died. I don’t remember what happened but think the slide is still sitting in a storage shed or something. Always been curious about the risk of having such a slide.
Take this comment with a grain of salt, but there was an episode of House where his patient dug up some old treasure chest and it had a bottle with smallpox sores and they got infected. I remember him saying the virus can lay dormant for a long time. I’d make a phone call or two and get that safely dealt with.
Re: FDA approves drug to treat smallpox
#20> Tembexa received priority review, fast track This is the same rating the COVID vaccines received. Either we are reacting to a real threat or preparing for perceived threat. It is possible some variola virus variant is being produced in a lab. This would obviously pose a risk necessitating precautionary measures.
> > Tembexa received priority review, fast track
> This is the same rating the COVID vaccines received.
That's true, but dozens of not-quite-so-urgent drugs have received those ratings as well.
Priority review: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priority_review#Uses_of_the_pr...
Fast Track: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/nda-and-bla-approvals/fast-track-a...