Final hours! Save up to 55% OFF InvestingProCLAIM SALE

US suspends federal funding to Wuhan lab over non-compliance

Published 07/19/2023, 05:24 PM
Updated 07/19/2023, 05:26 PM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Security personnel keep watch outside Wuhan Institute of Virology during the visit by the World Health Organization (WHO)  team tasked with investigating the origins of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Wuhan, Hubei province, China Febru

(Reuters) - The U.S. has suspended federal funding to China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) for failing to provide documentation related to concerns over biosafety protocol violations at the facility that has faced questions for years over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also said it wants to bar the Chinese research body from participating in government procurement and non-procurement programs going forward.

WIV has not received federal funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. medical research agency, since July 2020, according to an HHS statement on Wednesday.

The action was taken on Monday following a months-long review that led the HHS to find that "WIV is not compliant with federal regulations and is not presently responsible", according to a memo from the department.

"The move was undertaken due to WIV's failure to provide documentation on WIV's research requested by NIH related to concerns that WIV violated NIH's biosafety protocols," an HHS spokesperson said in a statement.

The institute could not immediately be reached outside of regular business hours.

The origins of the coronavirus pandemic have been a matter of furious debate around the world almost since the first human cases were reported in Wuhan in late 2019.

U.S. Republicans released a report in 2021 citing "ample evidence" that WIV scientists were working to modify coronaviruses to infect humans and such manipulation could be hidden.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Security personnel keep watch outside Wuhan Institute of Virology during the visit by the World Health Organization (WHO)  team tasked with investigating the origins of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Wuhan, Hubei province, China February 3, 2021. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo

In June 2023, U.S. intelligence agencies found no direct evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic stemmed from an incident at the WIV.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said in February his agency had assessed for some time that the origins of the pandemic were "most likely a potential lab incident" in the Chinese city of Wuhan. China said this claim had "no credibility whatsoever".

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.