Trump advocate for limiting virus research, using COVID-19 pandemic as justification
In the heart of Washington D.C., President Trump sparked controversy with an executive order on Monday. This order aimed to clamp down on certain biological research deemed "risky" by the administration, and which they blame for fueling the COVID-19 pandemic. The order was signed in the presence of health agency reps, promising to "strengthen the safety and security of biological research."
One of the key actions announced was the halting of federal funding for select international research programs. Among these are the infamous "gain-of-function" studies, which manipulate pathogens to study their evolution, making them artificially more virulent or transmissible. While these studies are intended to prevent future pandemics and develop vaccines, some experts worry about the potential risks outweighing the benefits.
The Trump administration points the finger at these research practices, blaming them for the recent global catastrophe that has cost over a million lives in the U.S. alone, and millions more worldwide. They argue that the SARS-CoV-2 virus originated from such research, funded in part by the U.S., and carried out at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the epicenter of the pandemic.
On Monday, Marty Makary, the new head of the Food and Drug Administration, declared, "This nightmare could well be the result of a bunch of scientists meddling with nature in a lab, thanks to tech exported from the U.S."
Initially dismissed as a wild conspiracy theory, the lab leak hypothesis has found traction in the U.S. and now enjoys varying degrees of support among American authorities. However, it remains a hotly debated topic among scientists.
The same goes for the classification of "gain-of-function" research associated with the work funded in Wuhan.
The new order explicitly names China as a nation where such research can no longer receive funding.
"There's no lab that's leak-proof - and this will help prevent accidental leaks that could endanger mankind," asserted Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr., via Twitter.
The decree also calls for the development of a strategy to "regulate, limit, and monitor" this type of research in the U.S., and the end of funding for other types of research in countries deemed lacking proper supervision.
This is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to remould American scientific and health policy, including through substantial budget cuts for research and massive layoffs of scientists in federal agencies.
- As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact millions of lives globally, the debate over the safety and ethics of "gain-of-function" research has intensified, with some arguing that the potential risks of these studies outweigh the benefits, particularly in light of the recent controversy surrounding the classification of such research and its impact on medical-conditions like the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
- Moreover, the political landscape, including the ongoing controversy surrounding the lab origin of SARS-CoV-2, has brought science into the spotlight, with general-news outlets and authorities, such as President Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr., advocating for increased regulation and monitoring of these research practices, citing their potential dangers and the need for increased safety measures to prevent accidental leaks and future pandemics. Vaccinated individuals and those with various medical-conditions may be particularly concerned about the implications of these policies on ongoing research and development efforts in the field of science and medicine.
