The NIH tries to call it 'limited' and 'unexpected'.
[I won't go trough the details but it is not much unexepected as far as I can tell - it's a fully possible result that was being tested for here.]
That was part of year 5 reporting - officially submitted on the 3rd August 2021 according to the records.
Now that was 'reported' late in 2021 according to NIH - that's the date on record: 3rd Aug 21.
According to EHA (as per WSJ) they tried to report it in time in 2019 and the NIH systems just did not work. So they left it at that - and nobody ever raised any issue on both sides.
Let me be clear here: the excuse is inexcusable.
If EHA is telling the truth, the NIH is clearly not competent to supervise that kind of research - and Collins and Fauci - who have spent so many years there and can't even get this right - are in trouble. wsj.com/articles/coron…
But in any case EHA should have done a better job too and follow up.
This is essential DURC research with a fairly difficult country and its supervision is essential - both sides must take their responsibilities very seriously.
What we get is a Faulty Towers moment instead:
Issue #2: The controversial chimeric MERS work.
This was mentioned in the year 4 report that was filled in 2018, as work for the coming year 5:
EHA sent to @KatherineEban a video showing that 2018 reporting:
Let's get a few things clear about this declassified ODNI assessment (ODNI: Office of the Director of National Intelligence) : washingtonpost.com/national-secur…
First as is written on page 2:
"This assessment is based on information through August 2021."
In other words it does NOT include any information that has come up since the summary assessment of 26th Aug 21. dni.gov/index.php/news…
In particular it does not include the DEFUSE revelations (especially about the FCS).
Or the latest revelations that show that GoF on BatCoVs was indeed happening within the WIV.
It is based on data frozen in time - nothing new since the summary report: dni.gov/index.php/news…
"Nothing goes right all the time. So it is in research labs. Despite sophisticated safety installations and strict rules in virology labs accidents and leaks happen. Indeed, they are underreported."
"The virologists doing this work said it would help them predict the next pandemic virus. Armed with this insight, they claimed it would be possible to develop preventive vaccines and drugs that could be frozen and stored."
"African diplomats are becoming exasperated by China's demands for diplomatic support on every issue from Covid-19's origins to the human rights of the Uighurs in Xinjiang province,.."
"..whether it's in the World Health Organization, the UN Human Rights Council, diplomatic sources told Africa Confidential."
"Chinese diplomats email, text and call their African counterparts directly to get them to sign joint letters, support motions and other measures.."
“Withholding data from the government agency that funds your work with taxpayer dollars does not engender trust. Federal research grants are not an entitlement." plus.cq.com/shareExternal/…
"Failing to comply with oversight measures put into place largely for safety reasons is inexcusable. I’m not going to sit idly by while [EHA] inaction allows unqualified grifters and opportunists free reign to disparage my entire profession, ultimately making everyone less safe"
Jaime Yassif (@JaimeYassif), senior fellow for global biological policy and programs:
"I would have flagged this project.
Looking at the experiment of concern that's highlighted in the letter, it appears to me as gain-of-function research, even before the 'one log' requirement."
Please send your feedback to SAGO@who.int before the 27th Oct.
When it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, quacks like a duck - it must be a duck.
So personally I will be asking for some ducks to be removed and replaced with independent experts in biosafety and biosecurity.