Dr. Anthony Fauci , the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said his agency did not provide funds into research on …
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said his agency did not provide funds into research on risky “gain of function” research into coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. During a Senate hearing, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) asked Fauci—who has become one of the public faces of the federal government’s pandemic response—about reports alleging that a U.S. virologist worked at the Wuhan, China, lab that would make pathogens more deadly or more easily transmittable. It comes amid questions about the origins of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus and the theory that it may have leaked from the facility. “For years, Dr. Ralph Baric, a virologist in the U.S., has been collaborating with Dr. Shi Zhengli from the Wuhan Virology Institute, sharing his discoveries about how to create super viruses. This gain-of-function research has been funded by the NIH… Dr. Fauci, do you still support funding of the NIH lab in Wuhan?” Paul said in a contentious exchange Tuesday. “Senator Paul, with all due respect, you are entirely, entirely and completely incorrect,” Fauci said in response.
