Page 28 - aruba-today-20180120

A28 SCIENCE
Saturday 20 January 2018

Gov't scientists scramble to save research ahead of shutdown

By LAURAN NEERGAARD "You have experiments attempts, the hurdles to
AP Medical Writer that have been going on getting an HIV vaccine
WASHINGTON (AP) — The for months if not years, and are "surmountable," but ex-
nation's premier medical then all of a sudden you've pect such a shot to be only
research institute is in "a got to stop — you can't do partially effective. Even
scramble" to prepare for that," Fauci said. "You can't a vaccine that's 50 to 60
a partial government shut- push the pause button on percent effective "would
down that could ruin costly an experiment when you be a home run" because
experiments and leave sick inject an animal with a it could be combined
patients unable to enter particular substance to see with condoms, preventive
cutting-edge studies, Dr. what the response is and medications and other
Anthony Fauci of the Na- then you have to go home steps, Fauci said.
tional Institutes of Health for a week." "When you put even a
said Thursday. In a wide-ranging interview modestly effective HIV
Fauci stressed that patients Thursday, Fauci also said: vaccine together with all
currently in NIH-run stud- — It's too soon to know of the other prevention
ies — including those at how well this year's flu vac- modalities, I think we could
the research-only hospital cine is protecting against put an end to the epidem-
often called the "house the tough virus strain hit- ic. That's what I hope we
of hope" — wouldn't be ting much of the country. can do at least while I'm
adversely affected even Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health speaks dur- Probably the flu shot will be still alive," he said.
if President Donald Trump ing an AP Newsmaker interview in Washington, Thursday, Jan. about 30 percent effec- —Science has the capabil-
and Congress don't reach 18, 2018. tive, he estimated, and he ity, given the right resourc-
a budget deal to avert a Associated Press said science must come es, to create vaccines for
shutdown at midnight Fri- described how researchers tial shutdown — and who up with better protection tuberculosis and malaria,
day. "We still take care of working on projects from would be barred. There's against the constantly mu- as well as HIV. Tackling all
them," Fauci, the NIH's in- cancer therapies to new also a potential ripple ef- tating virus. three, "you're talking about
fectious disease chief, told vaccines are figuring out fect, because NIH funds He is prioritizing develop- millions and millions of lives
The Associated Press. "You how to try to save work in basic research and clini- ment of a universal flu vac- per year that you'll be sav-
never want to put patients progress so it wouldn't go cal trials at universities and cine to protect against ing." —Zika may have fad-
in any jeopardy." to waste. other institutions across the both seasonal flu and su- ed from the headlines but
But new patients attempt- "It's a scramble," Fauci country. per-strains that can trigger if it rebounds in Latin Amer-
ing to enter studies of ex- said, offering a peek at Fauci, who directs the Na- pandemics. How soon? ica, NIH has "a vaccine
perimental therapies, of- the practical impact of the tional Institute of Allergy "Years, not decades," he ready to go and prove
ten because they've failed budget impasse. and Infectious Diseases, said. Meanwhile, get the whether it's effective or
standard treatment, would As at other federal agen- called the cycle of off- regular flu vaccine: "Any not." Perhaps more impor-
have to be turned away, cies, NIH must determine and-on budget deals and degree of protection is tant, it was made in a way
as happened during the who is an "essential" em- shutdown threats demoral- better than no protection that NIH thinks could be
last government shutdown. ployee and would report izing and disruptive to sci- at all." copied quickly to fend off
And across the NIH, Fauci to work if there is a par- ence. —Despite years of failed other emerging viruses.q

Expert says major eruption in

Papua New Guinea could be soon

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) recently increased be- two boats to completely
— Seismic activity beneath neath the volcano. evacuate the 600 Kadovar
a Papua New Guinea vol- "The reason we're getting residents to the mainland.
cano could mean that a activity is probably be- He could not say whether
major eruption was immi- cause new magma is mov- the evacuations of nearby
nent, a scientist said Thurs- ing up from deeper down," islands had been complet-
day. Saunders told Australian ed by Thursday.
Thousands of people have Broadcasting Corp. Papua New Guinea sits on
been evacuated from is- Prime Minister Peter O'Neill the "Ring of Fire," a line of
lands surrounding Kadovar has said state resources seismic faults encircling the
In this photo taken on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, ash plumes rise Island off the South Pacific were being made avail- Pacific that has frequent
from the volcano on Kadovar Island, Papua New Guinea in the nation's north coast since able to support evacua- earthquakes and volcanic
South Pacific. a volcano there began tions and he warned north- eruptions.q
Associated Press erupting on Jan. 5, spout- ern coastal communities to
ing ash. Flights nearby be alert for possible tsuna-
have been canceled due mis. Kadovar is offshore to
to the risk posed by ash the north of New Guinea,
plumes and ships were the larger island that in-
warned to stay away from cludes Papua New Guin-
the island. ea's capital, Port Moresby.
Steve Saunders, principal Aikari Muri, the Internation-
geodetic surveyor at the al Red Cross' disaster risk
Rabaul Volcano Observa- management logistics offi-
tory in Papua New Guinea, cer for Papua New Guinea,
said seismic activity had said the military had used