Pentagon Funds EcoHealth Alliance Despite Data Access Issues

The Pentagon is reportedly still providing financial support to EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit organization previously suspended from receiving federal grants. A letter obtained by The Post reveals that the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has ongoing subgrants to EcoHealth, despite concerns over its research collaborations with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China. Senator Joni Ernst has expressed frustration over the situation, demanding confirmation that all taxpayer funding to EcoHealth has been halted. EcoHealth Alliance has received over $4 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for projects linked to the WIV, but has faced scrutiny for allegedly failing to prove that its experiments did not involve gain-of-function research. This type of research, which enhances the pathogenicity of viruses, has been a focal point of debate, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite denials from EcoHealth regarding the nature of its work, NIH officials have suggested otherwise. In response to the ongoing funding, Ernst criticized the Pentagon's actions, stating that taxpayer dollars should not support what she termed "shady" research practices. The DTRA has allocated a total of $46.7 million to EcoHealth for various projects, although officials maintain that none of the research involved strengthening viruses. Meanwhile, other federal agencies, including USAID and the National Science Foundation, have confirmed the termination of their funding to EcoHealth. Advocacy groups, such as the White Coat Waste Project, have been actively working to expose and eliminate funding for EcoHealth's research, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in taxpayer-funded projects.