President Trump signed an executive order Monday to tighten federal restrictions on research involving pathogens that could potentially become more harmful. The order targets scientific study known as gain of function research.
The research involves modifying viruses and other infectious agents. Scientists may attempt to make them more transmissible or cause more severe illness. This field of study is sometimes called dual-use research because findings could be used for beneficial purposes, like developing countermeasures, or misused to create biological weapons.
Concerns about potential lab accidents have long surrounded gain of function research. In 2014, the government halted funding for certain experiments. That ban was lifted that ban in 2017 under the previous Trump administration, which implemented a new review process.
The controversy grew during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some hypothesize the SARS-CoV2 virus originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Other scientists maintain the virus spilled over into humans from a wild animal.
The Trump restricts funding order restricts U.S. funding for this research in "countries of concern," including China and Iran. It applies to nations deemed to have insufficient oversight of biological research. The order also prohibits U.S. money from contributing to foreign research potentially leading to another pandemic.
Administration officials stated the order aims to increase biological research safety and security without hindering American innovation. It provides agencies with tools to identify and stop funding research that could pose a threat to public health, public safety, or national security.
White House secretary Will Scharf said the order provides powerful tools to enforce a ban on federal funding for gain of function research abroad. He added it strengthens oversight and creates a strategy to ensure biomedical research is conducted safely.
Richard Ebright, a microbiologist at Rutgers University, supports funding restrictions. "If one of these pathogens is released accidentally or if they are released deliberately, they can cause pandemics," Ebright said.
Some scientists worry that broad restrictions could impede study necessary for pandemic preparedness and response. They argue understanding how pathogens might change helps in developing treatments and preventive measures.
However, officials emphasized the potential dangers outweigh perceived benefits. "It's crazy to think that this entire nightmare was probably the result of some scientists messing with mother nature in a laboratory with technology," said Dr. Marty Makary, the Food and Drug Administration commissioner.