Trump Slaps the Brakes on Risky Germ Research with Executive Order
Trump implements restrictions on contentious research employing pathogens through executive order - Trump Issues Executive Order to Limit Controversial Research on Pathogens by Decision
In a bold move, President Donald Trump declared "no lab is immune to leaks," and issued an executive order halting U.S. funding for gain-of-function research, concerned about potential biosecurity risks[1][2]. This decision aims to improve biosecurity by putting a halt on ongoing research, empowering agencies to root out risky studies, and ensuring tighter enforcement and transparency[2].
The decree has significant implications for future research, particularly in Wuhan, as it targets high-risk projects like the bat coronavirus studies conducted at the Wuhan laboratory before the COVID-19 pandemic[2]. By halting U.S. funding for such research abroad, the order effectively curbs high-risk experiments in countries like China, where oversight may not be as robust[2].
The benefit vs. risk debate about this research approach has been raging for years. The controversy intensified in 2011 when two research teams made bird flu viruses transmissible between mammals. Research on influenza and coronaviruses using this method was put on ice in the U.S. in 2014, resuming again in 2017 after a thorough review by experts[1].
Critics have dogged the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) during discussions about the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, with some claiming they funded gain-of-function research on coronaviruses in Wuhan. The NIH denies these allegations.
- Donald Trump
- Executive Order
- U.S. President
- USA
- Restriction
- Coronavirus
- Virus
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Future
- Wuhan
- Elon Musk
With Elon Musk, a renowned tech mogul and Trump advisor, taking to his platform X, dubbing this research approach as "death maximization," it's clear that the controversy surrounding gain-of-function research is far from over. Elon Musk's remarks highlight the contentious nature of this research, the risks it entails, and why Trump's executive order is causing quite a stir.
- Donald Trump, the U.S. President, has issued an executive order in the USA, imposing restrictions on gain-of-function research, citing potential biosecurity risks related to the coronavirus.
- This executive order, announced by Donald Trump, aims to curb high-risk experiments, particularly in Wuhan, as it halts U.S. funding for such research abroad.
- Despite criticism from figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the future of gain-of-function research is uncertain, given the controversies and leaks in the federal science community.
- The controversy surrounding gain-of-function research intensified with Elon Musk, an advisor to Donald Trump, labeling this approach as "death maximization," further fueling the debate about the risks and benefits of such research.
- The implications of Donald Trump's executive order on gain-of-function research, particularly in the context of medical-conditions like the coronavirus, remain a topic of general news and political discussions.
