The Department of Health and Human Services has recently halted all federal funding for the nonprofit research organization EcoHealth Alliance due to what they claim as misleading government agencies about their taxpayer-funded research project. This decision follows a thorough investigation by the House into EcoHealth’s potential involvement in the origins of SARS-CoV-2, as the organization faced scrutiny for conducting coronavirus research projects in Wuhan, China with funds from the National Institutes of Health.
Henrietta Brisbon, HHS’s Suspension and Debarment Official, wrote to EcoHealth President Peter Daszak explaining that the immediate suspension of funding is necessary to protect public interest and due to serious concerns regarding EcoHealth’s accountability. Republicans on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic have also called for further investigation into Daszak’s actions and have demanded that EcoHealth be barred from receiving any future U.S. taxpayer funds.
The Republican report and HHS documents reveal that EcoHealth received NIH funding in 2014 for bat coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, aimed at studying the natural emergence of viruses with pandemic potential. Evidence from the Subcommittee showed that EcoHealth failed to comply with grant terms by not reporting risky research activities to NIAID in a timely manner.
The suspension and potential debarment of EcoHealth are seen as necessary steps to prevent further misuse of federal funds and protect national security. Suspension and debarment are tools used by the government to prevent irresponsible actors from receiving federal funds and are crucial in preventing fraud and abuse.
Although the suspension is immediate, a formal debarment process will determine the length of time EcoHealth will be barred from receiving federal funds, typically around three years. EcoHealth has been a major recipient of federal funds for global research projects for years, with recent findings showing significant taxpayer funding being awarded to the organization.
EcoHealth Alliance has yet to provide a comment on the situation when approached by the Truth Voices.
