LONDON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- The world's top flu scientists and health officials are supporting a global initiative to end secrecy over avian flu data.
Data on avian flu outbreaks is usually either restricted by governments or kept private by a small network of researchers, a report published online Thursday in the journal Nature said.
The report said many scientists and organizations are also hoarding data so that they can be the first to publish in academic journals, the report said.
The new Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) was created to encourage scientists and nations to share data rapidly with other scientists worldwide. The consortium will be open to all scientists provided they agree to share their own data, credit the use of others' data, analyze findings jointly, and publish the results collaboratively. The initiative is supported by the World Health Organization.
The report said the initiative is baked by 70 top flu scientists and health officials, including six Nobel laureates.
