Finally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed to carrying out experiments for genetically engineering the smallpox virus at the recently concluded World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting. The issue was discussed by the 192 member states on 18 May 2005. A technical committee of the WHO had previously given a go-ahead in 'principle' to begin such experiments. Now the technical committee has decided that the new research is necessary because it could yield new vaccines and treatment for smallpox.

At the same time, some scientists and NGOs had voiced concern regarding genetic engineering experiments on live smallpox virus pointing to the dangers of such viruses escaping into the environment. However, their appeal appears to have fallen on 'deaf ears'. A major campaign was launched by the Third World Network and the Sunshine Project for stopping the WHA from approving genetic engineering experiments on smallpox. There are no procedures adopted yet regarding the bio-safety concerns related to such experiments. Also, such permission would establish a dangerous precedent for the genetic engineering of smallpox and other lethal pathogens. Most importantly, such experiments would make the use of smallpox virus in bio-terrorism more likely.

Interestingly, the WHA had agreed 11 years ago to destroy all stocks of the smallpox virus. Now, by giving a go ahead for further research on the same subject, they have contradicted themselves. Smallpox was eradicated in 1977. Since then stocks of the virus remain only in two secure laboratories - the US government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and the Institute for Viral Preparations in Moscow. But, these laboratories have not always been under the control of WHO. Russia, in 1996, admitted that it had, without WHO permission, moved its stocks to Novosibirsk in Siberia.

Since 1998, the WHO has been moving away from its decision to destroy available stocks of smallpox. They are probably doing this under US pressure; its military is paranoid about the threat of bio-weapons usage against it, particularly the smallpox virus. Also, vested interests of vaccination industry are probably associated with projecting smallpox as an imminent and dangerous threat to humanity (read Americans). US scientists were pushing for a go-ahead to genetically modify the smallpox virus and they have succeeded now. WHO has expressed the opinion that the world should have the necessary anti-virals and vaccines to fight this virus, if required.

The original date for destruction of all stocks of smallpox was 1999, but both Russia and the US dragged their feet. WHO is now allowing them to undertake limited experiments, however with some caveats. Insertion of smallpox genes into viruses, like monkeypox and cowpox is not permitted. But four other experiments, including genetic modification, are permitted by WHO. They claim that they will ensure strict controls on all new research and would only give laboratories parts of the virus to work on. But, giving away small pieces of the virus DNA to laboratories around the world is risky, since the genetic sequencing of smallpox is well known. There is a serious risk consequently that these pieces could be used to artificially reconstruct the virus for use in biological warfare.

Also, the claims of storage of smallpox strains for vaccine manufacture are not logical. This is so because with the advent of new technology the current vaccine preparation does not require the seed virus (variola) of smallpox. Currently the highly effective smallpox vaccine is not made by using smallpox virus, but a related virus called vaccinia. This vaccine which is licensed in the United States does not contain smallpox (variola) virus. In view of this scientific community is divided over the benefits to be gained from further experiments on this subject. Many claim that even if there are illegal stocks somewhere, the world would be safer if the US and Russia destroyed what they have.

Moreover, human error and equipment failures can lead to accidents. The last reported cases of smallpox in humans were laboratory-acquired. In the recent past many lab-acquired infections and environmental releases of SARS, Ebola, tularemia, and other dangerous diseases have taken place. The recent panic over a deadly strain of the pandemic flu virus was accidentally sent to 3747 labs around the world underlining the risk of disease from laboratory accidents.

This permission accorded by the WHO, particularly when the BTWC (Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention) is due for review in 2006, clearly indicates that this is not the global disarmament agenda but the US agenda that prevails in this unipolar world. A need exists for enhancing international capabilities to responding to the use of bio-weapons, but such steps clearly put the disarmament agenda on hold.