In an Article titled "Medical Scientists condemn release of rabbit virus" in the Adelaide Advertiser (South Australia)- Friday 21 February, 1997 it was reported that:

"The deadly rabbit calicivirus that is wiping out millions of rabbits in Australia was released after inadequate research, European and American scientists claim.

They said their could be no guarantees the disease could not jump species and the consequences for native animals could be deadly.

The warnings are in a major review of the virus program in this week's New Scientist magazine. [New Scientist issue dated 22nd February 1997]

Australian Government scientists began releasing RCV late last year after the disease escaped from Wardang Island, off Yorke peninsula, where it was being tested.

Although Australian scientists maintain the safety of the virus has been adequately tested, some overseas scientists are passionately opposed to its use at this stage and believe Australian virologists and wildlife biologists have thrown caution to the winds.

"We just don't know enough about this virus" said David Cubitt, of London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, who is an expert on human caliciviruses.

"They should be hold back until we know more."

"Once you've let it out, you can't bolt the door."

There is even controversy about the name of the virus, which causes blood clot in the rabbits lungs, heart and kidneys. They die from heart failure or asphyxiation.

But outside Australia and New Zealand, it is usually called rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus.

The CSIRO says this name is misleading because the rabbits do not necessarily haemorrhage.

The critics say the use of the name RCV is a cynical attempt to make an unpleasant death seem more palatable to the public.

The harshest criticism has come from Dr Alvin Smith of Oregon State University and Dr David Matson of the Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Dr Smith said Australia had embarked on an uncontrollable and unpredictable biological experiment.

The three are among many leading scientists who say the release occurred before there was proof that the virus infected only rabbits.

The Australian Animal Health Laboratory disagrees.

"Our testing of rabbit calicivirus is the most comprehensive study that we know of into the host range of an animal virus" the deputy director, Mr Keith Murray said yesterday.

But Dr Smith and Mr Matson argue that the test doses were too low and were administered incorrectly.

Dr Smith said that even if the tests were perfect, they could not forsee what would happen if the virus mutated.

"It's a fickle virus. It skitters all over the place" he said.

British polecats and some birds have been affected. So have some butterflies that flourish on short cropped grass.

In Spain, where rabbits are the main food of at least 28 predators, red fox litters have declined and the Imperial eagle and Iberian lynx are suffering.

Most scientists agree that in Australia anything that increases grass should be good news for native animals.

But there are unknowns.

Marsupials may suffer if predators such as feral dogs and cats, deprived of rabbits, turn on them.