The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has decertified EcoHealth Alliance Inc. and its former president, Dr. Peter Daszak, formally banning the company and the doctor from receiving federal funds for five years. EcoHealth allegedly failed to report dangerous gain-of-function experiments to the government, ultimately leading to its ban. In the notice banning Daszak, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services official wrote that the actions taken were "necessary" to protect the U.S. government's commercial interests.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., welcomed the lifting of the ban in a statement, calling it "justice for the American people." Cuomo went on to blast EcoHealth's "bad actors" and "corrupt former chairman," saying they used taxpayer money to conduct "dangerous gain-of-function research" in China.
In May, the House Oversight Committee's Special Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released an interim report detailing its findings on the lack of oversight of government funding and gain-of-function research.
Security personnel stand guard outside the Wuhan Institute of Virology as members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 coronavirus visited the institute in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province, on February 3, 2021. . (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) disqualifies EcoHealth Alliance president for failure to follow grant procedures
The subcommittee noted in its report that it found "significant evidence" that Daszak had "repeatedly violated the terms of the NIH EcoHealth grant awarded." Based on its findings, the committee ultimately recommended that EcoHealth and Deszak be formally barred from receiving "any" federal funds.
Additionally, in its review, the committee faulted EcoHealth for failing to submit an annual research update and instead did so in August 2021, nearly two years before the September 2019 deadline.
Peter Daszak (right), Thea Fischer (left) and other members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 coronavirus arrive at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province, on February 19. 3, 2021. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)
"EcoHealth Alliance Chairman Dr. Peter Daszak is not a good steward of U.S. taxpayer funds and should no longer accept U.S. taxpayer funds," Committee Chairman Brad Weinstrup (R-Oh) said in May 2024 stated in the memo.
"Dr. Daszak and his organization conducted dangerous gain-of-function research at the (Wuhan Institute of Virology), knowingly violated the terms of a multimillion-dollar NIH grant and put U.S. national security at risk. . This blatant disrespect for the American people is reprehensible.”
EcoHealth Alliance's disqualification period will end on May 14, 2029, and Dr. Daszak's disqualification period will end six days later, on May 20, 2029.
EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak speaks during a House Select Subcommittee hearing on the coronavirus pandemic on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, May 1, 2024. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
Disgraced EcoHealth Alliance has received nearly $100 million in taxpayer funds since 2008
In May it was revealed that the disgraced research firm had received nearly $100 million from the federal government over the past fifteen years.
From fiscal 2008 through fiscal 2024, the U.S. government provided approximately $9,430 to EcoHealth Alliance through contracts, grants, direct payments, loans and other financial assistance, according to a Fox News Digital review of government spending data provided by USAspending.gov Thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds.
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An EcoHealth spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Kyle Morris contributed to this report.