The National Institutes of Health (NIH) principal deputy director Lawrence Tabak finally admitted to Congress that US taxpayers funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This admission comes after years of evasions from federal public health officials, including Tabak and former NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Gain-of-function research involves modifying viruses to make them more infectious. Tabak's response to Congress suggests that this type of research is common and not regulated because it poses no threat or harm.
However, critics argue that this research can create pathogens with pandemic potential.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology has been barred from receiving federal grants for the next 10 years, and the nonprofit organization EcoHealth Alliance, which funded gain-of-function research in Wuhan, had its grant funding pulled by the US Department of Health and Human Services for the next three years.
EcoHealth Alliance president Dr. Peter Daszak, who previously denied involvement in gain-of-function research, has been contradicted by his own correspondence and testimony from other experts.
The NIH has also faced scrutiny for its lack of oversight and accountability in funding risky research. The House subcommittee is still investigating whether COVID-19 leaked from the Wuhan lab, which has been described as the most likely cause of the pandemic by various authorities.
Overall, the admission of US funding for gain-of-function research raises concerns about the need for better oversight and regulation in scientific research that poses risks to public health.
Dr. Fauci is scheduled to answer questions about this research and the origin of the pandemic in a public subcommittee hearing on June 3.
