In a significant move, Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman, Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), released an interim report delving into the role of America’s top health officials in suppressing the lab-leak theory of COVID-19’s origins.
This suppression was reportedly achieved via the controversial paper, “The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2” (“Proximal Origin”).
The report, titled “The Proximal Origin of a Cover-Up: Did the ‘Bethesda Boys’ Downplay a Lab Leak?” alleges the “extensive influence” of the NIH (National Institutes of Health) on the publication and subsequent acceptance of the “Proximal Origin” paper, which argued in favor of a zoonotic origin for the virus.
“America’s leading health officials vilified and suppressed the lab leak theory in pursuit of a preferred, coordinated narrative that was not based in truth or science,” Wenstrup said.
He added that the Select Subcommittee’s report “proves that the conclusions championed by the co-authors of Proximal Origin are not only inaccurate, but were crafted to appease a stated political motive.”
The report uncovers fresh evidence, including private Slack messages and emails among the co-authors of the paper.
It also provides unabridged transcripts of interviews with every U.S.-based contributor to the paper, along with an in-depth analysis of the alleged effort to suppress the lab-leak theory.
The report points out that the co-authors of the “Proximal Origin” paper skewed the available evidence to align with a single narrative as envisioned by Dr. Fauci.
It further alleges that “Dr. Fauci, Dr. Collins, and the NIH exerted undue influence over the drafting and publication of ‘Proximal Origin’.”
Notably, the authors referred to these top health officials as the “Bethesda Boys.”
According to the report, Dr. Anderson, a co-author, admitted in private messages that politics had influenced the science behind the “Proximal Origin” paper, despite his dislike of such a mix.
The report alleges that the authors, along with Dr. Collins, downplayed the lab leak theory in an apparent bid to protect China.
The report further reveals that the renowned journal Nature initially rejected “Proximal Origin” for not sufficiently dismissing the lab leak theory.
However, the paper was approved after the authors included stronger language to refute the lab-leak hypothesis.
Highlighting the impact of “Proximal Origin,” which is reportedly the 5th most impactful scientific paper in history, the report underscores the need to probe any potential COVID-19 cover-up to preserve the integrity of future scientific research.
While significant, this is just an interim report, and Chairman Wenstrup emphasized that the investigation is ongoing.
The Select Subcommittee is reportedly awaiting transcribed interviews and documents from Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins.
Read the full report below:
