1. U.S. Taxpayer Money Did Go to Controversial ‘Gain of Function’ Research
Thanks to some confusing verbal gymnastics by Dr. Anthony Fauci, some in the media are giving the impression that there’s no proof U.S. tax money funded “gain of function” research or that, perhaps, the research didn’t qualify as gain of function. However, the evidence on this point is clear cut.
A 2015 published study specifically discloses that the research is gain of function research that took bat coronavirus that was harmless to people—and made it infectious in humans. The study further states that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) approved continuation of the research even amid a general ban on such studies. (See study excerpt below.)
The research was conducted by numerous U.S. scientists including Ralph Baric at the University of North Carolina with the lead virologist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology: Shi Zhengli. (See study authors below.)
2. The Gain of Function Research with China Did Not Only Receive U.S. Support and Money Through the Nonprofit ‘EcoHealth Alliance,’ but Also Directly
Many media reports refer to several millions of dollars in tax money sent from the NIH to the Wuhan lab via the New York-based nonprofit “EcoHealth Alliance.” However, research with the lab, and the lab itself, received significant additional U.S. support including:
- Grants directly from the NIH.
- Grants directly from Dr. Fauci’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the NIH. (See grant numbers highlighted below.)
- Additional funds from EcoHealth Alliance that were initially undisclosed. (See correction to the study below.)
- Assistance from the University of Texas. (See excerpt from study below.)
- Resources from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (See study disclosure below.)
3. The Chinese Wuhan Lab Received Direct U.S. Support, in Addition to the Indirect Grants From EcoHealth Alliance
State Department cables from January 2018 detail assistance from the University of Texas Medical Branch, including university “researchers … helping train technicians who work” in the Wuhan Institute of Virology lab. The Texas lab is supported by Dr. Fauci’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under NIH. (See excerpt from cable below.)
About Sharyl Attkisson
Sharyl Attkisson is the New York Times bestselling author of “Stonewalled,” a five-time Emmy Award winner, and the host of Sinclair’s national investigative television program “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.”
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or The Thinking Conservative.
