The Gordons were doing brilliant work with viral vaccines.
And with viral vaccines, like the one against polio, the F.D.A. estimates that the risk is far lower - no more than one in 40 billion.
An inactivated viral vaccine is available, as well as various combination vaccines.
The experimental vaccine in the chimp experiments differs from most standard viral vaccines, which are derived from either dead or weakened viruses.
He has been awarded multiple patents on viral vaccines and antivirals.
This sort of reconstitution has been shown by others to greatly enhance the effectiveness of viral vaccines.
However, since viral vaccines contain only a small fraction of pathogen genes, they are much safer and sporadic infection by the pathogen is impossible.
He headed a commission on viral and rickettsial vaccines for the Federal Food and Drug Administration in the 1970's.
This may be used to produce viral vaccines or gene therapy vectors.
There is a live viral vaccine available which may have beneficial properties against human cancer when used as a mammalian expression vector.