The promise and perils of Unit 731 data to advance COVID-19 research

### Summary box Emerging evidence shows that the COVID-19 is mutating1; as of April 2021, COVID-19 mutations are identified in most of the countries worldwide.2 The scale and scope of these mutations could have a devastating effect on global pandemic control and vaccine development efforts.3 4 Furthering this perspective, the first mutation identified in the UK, the B.1.1.7 variant, is up to 70% more transmissible and 35% more deadly than the original coronavirus.5 6 As COVID-19 evolves its approaches to spread across communities of various backgrounds, we must also adapt and update our defensive methods promptly and adequately. In other words, to gain an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of COVID-19, such as its transmissibility and human–pathogen interaction, critical scientific evidence is needed. …