A Lab Accident May Have Caused New Flu

An Australian scientist with a long history of serious research says the new A-H1N1 (Mexican swine) flu may be the result of an "oops" in a lab.

May 12 (Bloomberg) -- The World Health Organization is investigating an Australian researcher’s claim that the swine flu virus circling the globe may have been created as a result of human error.

Adrian Gibbs, 75, who collaborated on research that led to the development of Roche Holding AG’s Tamiflu drug, said in an interview today that he intends to publish a report suggesting the new strain may have accidentally evolved in eggs scientists use to grow viruses and drugmakers use to make vaccines. Gibbs said that he came to his conclusion as part of an effort to trace the virus’s origins by analyzing its genetic blueprint.

Naturally, a spokeswoman at the U.S. Center for Disease Control says "there's no evidence" to support Gibbs' statement. I'm not sure this version of the CDC would know evidence if it bit 'em on the behind.

A researcher for the World Health Organization, Keiji Fukada, is reviewing Gibbs' study.

A virus that resulted from lab experimentation or vaccine production may indicate a greater need for security, Fukuda said.

You think?