Tweet

Emily Kopp

Aug 9 • 5 tweets • 2 min read

Peter Hotez said a congressional investigation into gain-of-function research was a “a plan to undermine the fabric of science in America”

What he didn't say: He helped fund gain-of-function work in Wuhan

usrtk.org/biohazards/cri…

Hotez helped fund a study led by Shi Zhengli on a virus that has already come under Congress' microscope

It combined one coronavirus “poised for human emergence” with another coronavirus previously deemed “too risky to pursue” in future studies

vanityfair.com/news/2021/10/n…

It's unclear why the study co-funded by Hotez — published in 2017 — wasn't covered under a pause that NIH had implemented on gain-of-function research at the time

Perhaps most baffling:

While Hotez has described the possibility of a lab origin of SARS-CoV-2 as "outlandish," his grant was premised in part on preparing for a possible lab release of SARS-CoV

reporter.nih.gov/search/WNMviEk…

Meanwhile Hotez has opposed efforts by The Lancet COVID Commission Chair Jeffrey Sachs to investigate risky research in Wuhan

currentaffairs.org/2022/08/why-th…

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

More from @emilyakopp

Emily Kopp

@emilyakopp

Aug 3

A Senate hearing on gain-of-function research is underway.

Sen. Paul clarifies:

A key question is whether a novel virus *unreported in scientific literature* was under study at the Wuhan Institute of Virology

hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/…

Richard Ebright says gain-of-function research of concern is a tiny subset of virology with no civilian benefits, but enormous risks

Overview of government funded “virus hunting” by Kevin Esvelt

PREDICT involved the mining for novel viruses by EcoHealth Alliance (working with the Wuhan Institute of Virology)

DEEP VZN is its successor project

Read 9 tweets

Emily Kopp

@emilyakopp

Aug 3

In my opinion, the strategy after 9/11 of putting enormous resources into preparing for bioterror rather than preparing for a pandemic was a failure.

We hoarded vaccines for smallpox — an eradicated virus — instead of combatting monkeypox in Africa.

nytimes.com/2022/08/01/nyr…

We hoarded anthrax vaccines for the National Stockpile as PPE was left to expire, even though the 2001 anthrax attacks originated out of a U.S. lab.

nytimes.com/2021/03/06/us/…

After the proliferation of maximum biocontainment labs in the U.S. after 2001, China started building its own.

usrtk.org/biohazards-blo…

Read 4 tweets

Emily Kopp

@emilyakopp

Jul 27

New: Another missing database?

EcoHealth Alliance did field work for years in Southeast Asia, but some of its findings are "under construction."

usrtk.org/biohazards-blo…

This raises eyebrows because:

1. it fits a pattern of missing data by the Wuhan lab and its partners

2. COVID's closest cousins were discovered in Southeast Asia

science.org/content/articl…

It's clear that EcoHealth discovered SARS-like viruses they believed were capable of spilling over into humans in the region.

Here's a clip from a Malaysian documentary:

Read 6 tweets

Emily Kopp

@emilyakopp

Jun 2

NEW: FOIA reveals another secret Feb 2020 call on COVID's origin.

Six pages of notes are redacted.

usrtk.org/biohazards-blo…

A Feb 1st meeting has been widely reported.

This Feb 7th meeting was not previously known.

Feb. 7th is a few days after some virologists participating in these calls first drafted an article that dismissed the lab leak theory.

theintercept.com/2022/01/12/cov…

It's not clear whether NIH leaders Anthony Fauci or Francis Collins participated on this call.

But we know that there were a series of calls, and that Fauci participated on at least two by mid-Feb.

Read 4 tweets

Emily Kopp

@emilyakopp

May 27

@JustinRGoodman

Congressional researchers just put out a report on gain-of-function research. (h/t @JustinRGoodman)

"Gain of function" = Making viruses more dangerous in the lab

osp.od.nih.gov/event/stakehol…

Safety concerns around viruses have multiplied even in just the last decade

But regulations are "patchwork"

Only HHS has developed gain-of-function policies

(Recall that DEFUSE was submitted to DARPA)

Read 7 tweets

Emily Kopp

@emilyakopp

Apr 27

I'm watching today's meeting at NIH on the oversight of pandemic potential pathogens.

Today's speakers include White House COVID-19 testing lead Tom Inglesby.

Livestream here: videocast.nih.gov/livew.asp?live…

On a personal note I'm happy to return to my roots: Live tweeting a niche advisory committee meeting

University of Maryland virologist Matthew Frieman argues that any further restrictions could prevent comparing vaccine efficacy against variants in the lab