US halts funding to Wuhan lab due to risky experiments.
US Suspends Funding to Wuhan Lab Amid COVID-19 Controversy
In a bold move, President Joe Biden’s administration has decided to suspend funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China, the very same lab where COVID-19 cases were first identified. This decision comes after a memorandum from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) dated July 17.
Over the years, the WIV has received more than $1.4 million in US funds for testing under the project “Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence.” Shockingly, some of these experiments involved making a bat coronavirus more infectious, which clearly violated the terms of the grant.
Despite being given opportunities to contest these findings, the WIV has failed to do so, leaving the conclusion undisputed. As a result, the HHS official has determined that the immediate suspension of WIV is necessary to mitigate any potential public health risk.
Temporary Suspension and Potential Debarment
It’s important to note that suspensions are temporary measures, while debarments can last for a longer period of time. The HHS is currently taking steps towards potentially debarring the WIV and cutting off its access to US funding.
Lawmakers have been pushing for permanent measures to bar US funding to the WIV, citing risky research conducted at the institute and the belief of some intelligence officials that COVID-19 originated there. However, these bills have yet to clear Congress.
Response and Future Actions
The decision to suspend funding to the WIV has been met with mixed reactions. Some lawmakers have criticized the Biden administration for taking too long to make this decision, while others believe it is a necessary step to address the evidence and facts surrounding the institute.
As the WIV receives a notice of proposed debarment, it will have the opportunity to protest the proposal. The final decision will be made by the HHS suspension and debarment official after reviewing the response.
While both suspensions and debarments restrict government agencies from providing further funding to the WIV, it is possible that a different agency could still choose to fund the institute despite the HHS action.
Requirements
In 2016, US officials informed EcoHealth, the organization funding the WIV, about additional provisions added to the grant. These requirements…
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