HHS Debars EcoHealth Alliance, Peter Daszak for Five Years Over Wuhan Virus Research

Jan 18, 2025, 04:29 AM

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has formally debarred EcoHealth Alliance and its former president, Dr. Peter Daszak, from receiving federal funding for five years. The decision follows an eight-month investigation by the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, which uncovered evidence of EcoHealth's involvement in gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, without proper oversight. The investigation revealed that EcoHealth and Daszak violated multiple requirements of their National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant, including failing to report dangerous experiments and submitting research updates years late. HHS confirmed that EcoHealth terminated Peter Daszak's employment in January 2024. The debarment, set to end in May 2029, also highlights longstanding concerns about the organization's practices and its role in controversial virus research linked to the origins of COVID-19. House Oversight Chairman James Comer described the decision as a victory for U.S. taxpayers and national security.