U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. issued the following statement after it was revealed researchers at Boston University developed an 80% more lethal COVID strain in a lab.
“It is unconscionable that NIH sponsors this lethal gain of function virus research through Boston University and EcoHealth Alliance in densely populated areas, creating potential to kill more people than any singular nuclear weapon. History has taught us that viruses have managed to escape even the most secure labs. This is not a risk that scientists alone should be able to take without concurrence from the American public. This research must stop immediately while the risks and benefits can be investigated,” said Senator Marshall. “NIH continues to fund this dangerous research while it obstructs Congressional investigations into the COVID origins despite admissions from the U.S. Intelligence Community, the WHO, the Lancet, and countless others that it is possible the COVID-19 pandemic arose from a lab accident in Wuhan. I will continue to call for passage of my Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act – it has never been more important that additional guardrails on gain-of-function research are established to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.”
