The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched formal debarment proceedings against Dr. Peter Daszak, President of EcoHealth Alliance, signaling a decisive move to halt his access to federal funding.
In a letter dispatched on Tuesday, HHS notified Daszak of his suspension and proposed debarment, citing his positions at EcoHealth Alliance, Inc. (EHA), and as Program Director/Principal Investigator on an NIH grant. This action aims to bar Daszak from participating in U.S. federal government programs.
The decision follows the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic’s release of a damning report, which presented extensive evidence implicating Daszak in disregarding risks associated with gain-of-function research and violating NIH grant terms.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Today, based on evidence uncovered in @COVIDSelect's recent report, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services commenced formal debarment proceedings against EcoHealth Alliance.
EcoHealth will now face an immediate, government-wide suspension of taxpayer… pic.twitter.com/gLxg6R3Enw
— Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (@COVIDSelect) May 15, 2024
The report underscored Daszak’s collaboration with Dr. Anthony Fauci, then-NIAID Director, in bypassing a moratorium on risky gain-of-function research imposed by the Obama administration in 2014. Funds for such research were routed through EcoHealth Alliance to Dr. Shi Zhengli, colloquially known as the “bat lady,” at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
During the pandemic’s early stages, Daszak and Fauci vehemently dismissed theories suggesting a lab origin for COVID-19 as conspiracy theories. Daszak orchestrated a statement published in The Lancet, branding such theories as baseless and obstructing investigative efforts into the virus’s origins.
The suspension of taxpayer funds earmarked for EcoHealth, initiated on May 15, followed revelations unearthed by the Select Subcommittee. Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) pushed for individual debarment to block Daszak from further accessing taxpayer funds.
Emphasizing accountability, Wenstrup stated, “Dr. Daszak’s impending debarment does not shield him from accountability to the American people.” Allegations of dishonesty regarding grant procedures and compliance with NIH requirements have intensified scrutiny on Daszak.
https://x.com/COVIDSelect/status/1791110841032470916
The Select Subcommittee remains steadfast in its pursuit of accountability, urging Daszak to cooperate fully in producing outstanding documents and addressing Congressional inquiries.
