AHCJ Webinar: Covering High-Risk Lab Accidents and the COVID-19 Origins Story

Event Date:

July 20, 2023

We may never know whether COVID-19 originated with a leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology or was the result of a natural spillover event from an unknown animal. What is known is that ongoing scientific research on high-risk pathogens in laboratories around the world could be vulnerable to a leak, whether accidental or deliberate.

As investigative reporter Alison Young writes in "Pandora's Gamble: Lab Leaks, Pandemics, and a World at Risk," the truth is "lab accidents happen with shocking frequency, even in the world’s best-run labs." That means journalists have a crucial role in holding the scientific community accountable.

In this Association of Health Care Journalists webinar, Young will talk about her book and provide context about what is known about what happened at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and about lab leaks more broadly. She will provide resources and tips for staying on top of this very timely issue, which is being debated by law and policy makers, scientists and the public.

When: 2 p.m. ET, Thursday, July 20, 2023

Details and registration.