Statement of the Society of Virology on the current reporting on findings of the Federal Intelligence Service

Based on the current reporting, the Society of Virology (GfV) e.V. cannot make any further assessment of how likely a non-natural origin of SARS-CoV-2 is. However, the GfV criticizes the fact that there are still considerable scientific gaps in the information available. A considerable amount of the necessary scientific clarification work can only be carried out in China.

In public usage, the term "gain-of-function (GoF)" has become established for experimental work that aims to intentionally increase the pathogenicity or transmissibility of viruses. We adopt this terminology here, but point out that the term GoF is also applied to other biological work, for example to cell biology experiments that do not involve any change in the properties of infectious agents.

In the opinion of the GfV, virological GoF work must be clearly regulated and monitored. The international biosafety guidelines of the WHO must be applied. This is the case in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and the regulation in force here goes beyond these guidelines. However, GoF experiments are still important, as viruses in nature are very diverse, including in terms of their danger to humans. Without knowledge of the danger posed by certain naturally occurring viruses, we will be unprepared for outbreaks of life-threatening viral infections and new pandemics. The GfV deals intensively and transparently with the risks of GoF research and organizes workshops, training courses and consultations. A separate GfV commission dedicated to this topic was established in 2016. This GfV Commission for Safety-Related Research in Virology and the GfV Executive Board have drawn up a detailed statement on the topic of GoF research, which is referenced here. This position paper discusses the social benefits as well as the risks of GoF research in virology and describes the extensive regulatory measures that apply in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The GfV Executive Board

Click here to access the PDF version of the statement.