Home » BIG WIN: Trump to Halt Gain-of-Function Viral Research Via Executive Order, Per Report

BIG WIN: Trump to Halt Gain-of-Function Viral Research Via Executive Order, Per Report

Of course, the big news comes with possibly an even bigger caveat: according to the WSJ’s source, bird flu might be exempt from the temporary ban, which would beg the question: why? 

Ifthegain-of-functionpauseshouldapplytoanything,itshouldbetothevirusthatthepublichealthauthoritieshavepromisedoverandoverandoverwouldbethetriggerforpandemic2.0. Related: HHSCutsFederalFundingtoEcoHealthAlliance,‘Nonprofit’ThatBankrolledWuhanLab Thisisnotapermanentban,andostensiblyitdoesnotapplytoprivate-sectoractors. Butlet’snotlookagifthorseinthemouth. ViaWallStreetJournal(emphasisadded): TheTrumpadministrationispreparinganexecutiveorderthatwouldhaltfederalfunding,atleasttemporarily,forariskyandcontroversialkindofresearchintovirusesthatmakesthepathogensmoredangerousorcontagious. ThegoaloftheorderwouldbetostopscientistswithU.S.fundingfromconducting“gain-of-function”researchonvirusesthatcouldendangerhumanhealth,peoplefamiliarwiththeplanssaid.  Someviruses,suchastheH5N1bird-flupathogen,mightbeexemptfromtheorder,oneoft