Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed his support on Monday for suspending US grant funding to EcoHealth Alliance, a New York-based virus research organization linked to questions and controversies surrounding the origins of the Covid-19 virus.
In May, the US Department of Health and Human Services halted funding to EcoHealth Alliance and recommended blocking the group from future federal funding, potentially for years.
When asked about his stance on the suspension and debarment of EcoHealth Alliance, Fauci responded affirmatively.
Prior to the pandemic, the US granted $120,000 to EcoHealth Alliance with a subaward that supported work at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The National Institutes of Health terminated the grant in April 2020.
Fauci revealed that he later discovered the White House had instructed the NIH to cancel the grant. When questioned on his agreement with the decision at the time, Fauci clarified that his concern was whether such action was permissible, as advised by the general counsel of HHS.
Following a compliance review, the grant was reinstated but then suspended again due to identified violations of grant policies by EcoHealth Alliance. NIH has since ceased funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and proposed blocking funding to EcoHealth as an institution and Dr. Peter Daszak individually.
In a letter to EcoHealth Alliance and Dr. Peter Daszak, HHS cited 30 pieces of evidence, some dating back to 2013, to justify its decision. The memo highlighted EcoHealth's failure to adequately monitor virus growth experiments at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and provide requested information promptly.
In response to HHS' decision, a spokesperson for EcoHealth Alliance expressed disappointment and stated the organization's intention to challenge the ruling.
