Once again we are working with China to study viruses – but why?

Chinese scientists creating a deadly disease in a lab causing massive casualties.

US taxpayers unknowingly funding this research.

Continuing to engage in dangerous collaborations.

Alarm bells ringing as H5N1 bird flu spreads globally, affecting mammals for the first time.

In the US, multiple dairy cattle herds across nine states are infected.

Fears of genetic mutations that could enable human-to-human transmission of the virus.

Despite past lessons, the US Department of Agriculture partnering with Chinese Academy of Sciences, associated with the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Manipulating bird flu strains to increase lethality and infecting ducks and geese with the altered virus.

Extension of US-China Science and Technology Agreement despite concerns.

Need for caution in collaborating with scientists from adversary nations.

Calls for governmental oversight on funding international research collaborations.

Canada scaling back collaborations with China due to past incidents of virus transfers.

Raising questions about the trustworthiness of scientific partnerships with China.

The importance of vigilance in sharing research data with controlled scientists.

China’s lack of transparency in its response to the COVID pandemic.

Renewal of US-China Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement despite unresolved issues.

Skepticism toward China’s intentions in joint research ventures.

Concerns regarding China’s safety measures in lab experiments.

Calls for national security considerations in high-risk virology research partnerships.

European scientists highlighting the risk of future pandemics from flu viruses and unknown pathogens.

Warning against funding or participating in potentially harmful collaborations.

Betsy McCaughey, former lieutenant governor of New York and chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths.

Twitter: @Betsy_McCaughey