Official statements from the White House or the Biden administration

House COVID-19 Report: Virus Likely from Wuhan Lab Leak Involving NIH-Funded Gain-of-Function Research

Dec 2, 2024, 10:20 PM

The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic has released its final report, spanning over 500 pages, after a two-year investigation into the origins and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report concludes that the virus most likely originated from a laboratory leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, potentially involving gain-of-function research that was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through organizations like EcoHealth Alliance. The report alleges that some officials sought to cover up facts concerning the origins of the pandemic and that the Biden administration obstructed investigations. It asserts that the Constitution cannot be suspended in times of crisis and criticizes measures such as masks, social distancing, lockdowns, and school closures as ineffective and causing more harm than good. Additionally, it highlights that over $200 billion in relief funds were lost to fraud and that public health officials have lost public trust. The subcommittee's findings call for greater accountability and oversight to prevent similar failures in future pandemics.