Elon Musk took to social media to demand the arrest and prosecution of Dr. Anthony Fauci after the National Institutes of Health (NIH) admitted to funding risky “gain-of-function” research in Wuhan, China before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Lawrence Tabak of the NIH confirmed during a House subcommittee hearing that the US government did fund dangerous research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology shortly before the outbreak began in late 2019. This revelation conflicted with Fauci’s previous denials about funding such research in Wuhan.
The NIH had previously denied funding gain-of-function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, despite evidence to the contrary. Musk did not specify the criminal charges Fauci should face, but the options of perjury and lying to Congress have been suggested by congressional Republicans. Fauci had served as President Biden’s chief medical adviser and led the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The alleged coverup of US funding for Chinese labs linked to the pandemic could potentially result in further charges beyond perjury and lying to Congress.
Documents revealed that the Manhattan-based nonprofit EcoHealth Alliance, funded by grants from Fauci’s agency, had conducted experiments to modify bat coronaviruses that were distinct from COVID-19. These experiments resulted in the viruses becoming more infectious in “humanized” mice. The Department of Health and Human Services, including the NIH, had barred EcoHealth from receiving federal funding for the next three years due to these activities. However, the Chinese government’s refusal to allow an independent international investigation into the origins of COVID-19 has hindered efforts to find conclusive answers.
Various parts of the US government, including the FBI and the Energy Department, have suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic may have originated from a lab leak in China. President Biden has not provided much information on determining the origins of the pandemic, while his predecessor Donald Trump has proposed holding China accountable for the outbreak by demanding $10 trillion in reparations. The origins of COVID-19 continue to be a mystery, with conflicting reports and lack of transparency from the Chinese government complicating efforts to identify the source of the virus.
The disclosure of US government funding for risky research in Wuhan has sparked outrage and calls for accountability from individuals like Elon Musk. The admission by the NIH has raised questions about the transparency and oversight of scientific research activities that have the potential to lead to global health crises. The conflicting statements from Fauci and Tabak on the issue have added to the confusion surrounding the funding of gain-of-function research in Wuhan. Moving forward, there may be legal and ethical implications for those involved in the decision to support such risky experiments, as well as implications for the global response to future pandemics.
