EcoHealth Alliance Faces Debarment Proceedings Over Gain-Of-Function Research

Introduction

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has initiated formal debarment proceedings against EcoHealth Alliance. This decision comes in response to the organization's role in facilitating gain-of-function research in China. The proceedings could lead to EcoHealth Alliance being barred from receiving taxpayer-funded government grants.

EcoHealth Alliance's Role in Gain-Of-Function Research

HHS, in a referral memorandum published on Wednesday, outlined how EcoHealth Alliance and its president, Peter Daszak, bypassed government oversight and regulations. They conducted gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) that eventually led to the release of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which caused the COVID-19 pandemic. HHS Suspension and Debarment Official Henrietta Katrina Brisbon stated that EcoHealth Alliance did not sufficiently monitor WIV's compliance with the terms and conditions of its grant award.

Immediate Suspension of EcoHealth Alliance

In light of the issues concerning the management of EcoHealth Alliance's grant awards and subawards, Brisbon decided that an immediate suspension of EcoHealth Alliance was necessary to protect the public interest. This decision followed a damning report by the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. The report revealed that EcoHealth Alliance used taxpayer money to facilitate gain-of-function research on coronaviruses in Wuhan at the WIV, contradicting previous public statements, including those made by Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Findings of the Select Subcommittee's Report

The report, based on over a million pages of documents and testimony from more than a dozen fact witnesses, found that EcoHealth Alliance violated its grant terms and conditions by failing to report a potentially dangerous experiment conducted by the WIV. The report also concluded that the National Institute of Health might not have known about EcoHealth Alliance's actions without the intervention of former President Donald Trump and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Reactions to the Suspension

Subcommittee Chairman Brad Wenstrup praised HHS's decision to suspend EcoHealth Alliance from government grants. He stated that EcoHealth Alliance and Dr. Peter Daszak should never again receive a single penny from U.S. taxpayers. Wenstrup also emphasized that the investigation into EcoHealth Alliance and the origins of COVID-19 is far from over. He promised to hold EcoHealth Alliance accountable for any waste, fraud, and abuse, and to uncover any illegal activity, including lying to Congress, NIH, or the Inspector General.

Implications for Dr. Anthony Fauci

The suspension of EcoHealth Alliance also calls into question former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci's repeated testimony under oath. Fauci had claimed that EcoHealth Alliance never facilitated gain-of-function research in Wuhan.

Further Developments

Despite EcoHealth Alliance's president admitting in 2021 to helping China develop weaponized coronaviruses, the organization was awarded another $2.3 million in government grants for research on bat coronaviruses two years later by the Biden administration.

Conclusion

The debarment proceedings against EcoHealth Alliance highlight the importance of accountability and transparency in scientific research, especially when public funds are involved. The case raises questions about the oversight of grant-funded research and the potential risks associated with gain-of-function research. What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think the debarment proceedings are justified? Share your views and join the conversation. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.