Originally published September 21, 2023 7:04 am PDT
In a recent development, the U.S. federal government has imposed a stringent 10-year funding prohibition on the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) through the Health and Human Services Department (HHS).
The move comes after the institution was linked to controversial and possibly risky gain-of-function research funded by American taxpayers that could have led to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The WIV has been a focal point of discussions surrounding the genesis of the coronavirus.
While its exact origins remain a topic of contention, the primary theories suggest either a natural exposure to an animal or a leak from the lab that was studying coronaviruses, backed by U.S. finances.
The HHS had approached the institute seeking clarification on certain matters.
However, in the absence of any response from WIV, the department proceeded to formalize the ban.
The standard consequence for infringing grant conditions is a three-year restriction.
Nevertheless, the HHS felt that the gravity of the situation warranted a more extended ban.
The official debarment document states, “WIV’s refusal to acknowledge or provide any information regarding this violation to the United States Government, in accordance with the terms of the grant, constitutes an aggravating factor.”
Chairman of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, Representative Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), voiced his opinion on the issue.
He stated, “The Wuhan Institute of Virology should not receive another cent of U.S. taxpayer funding. After years of conducting dangerous gain-of-function research at inadequate biosafety levels, cutting off all American taxpayer dollars from the WIV is an essential and obvious step in the right direction.”
“This is especially timely as mounting evidence and intelligence continue to suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic originated from a laboratory failure in Wuhan. Rewarding the likely source of a global pandemic with American resources will only lead to more future health risks,” he continued.
Wenstrup further pointed out that American authorities were already aware of the precarious nature of the research conducted at WIV prior to the emergence of COVID-19, yet appropriate measures were not undertaken.
“Further, the Select Subcommittee recently revealed that prominent public health authorities — including Dr. Anthony Fauci — knew about the risky laboratory conditions in Wuhan prior to the spread of COVID-19 worldwide,” he said.
“Covering up for the failures of a Chinese lab, hiding critical evidence from the American people, and facilitating the public promotion of a false, alternative narrative is extremely concerning and deserves thorough investigation. The Select Subcommittee will continue to investigate the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic and the possible cover-up by America’s public health leaders.”
The debate surrounding the actual origin of the virus, which is believed to have emerged from China in 2019, continues.
However, what remains evident is that the WIV violated the conditions of their HHS grant, which specified a ceiling on the intensity of virus research. The U.S. government has concluded that the institute might have overstepped its boundaries, leading to this significant punitive measure.
Read the full HHS letter below:
