Report Contradicts Fauci, Says US Funded Controversial Virus Research in China

A report this week from The Intercept (Left bias) details evidence that the U.S. funded controversial virus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in Wuhan, China. National Institutes of Health (NIH) documents obtained by The Intercept delve into "gain-of-function" research at WIV backed by a U.S. grant. Gain-of-function research involves experimenting with making viruses more pathogenic or contagious to study them more closely; the U.S. grant reportedly specified that the money shouldn't be used for gain-of-function experiments. Scientists quoted by The Intercept raised biosafety concerns about the research, while "unanimously" telling the news outlet that the research "could not have directly sparked the pandemic."

The documents contradict Dr. Anthony Fauci's congressional testimony in May, in which he said the U.S. "has not ever and does not now fund gain-of-function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology." Fauci directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the NIH.

The Intercept's report was covered heavily by right-rated outlets; almost no left- or center-rated outlets covered it. Coverage from right-rated outlets often highlighted specifics about the research and framed Fauci and the Biden administration as liars, while omitting or downplaying the scientists' opinion that the research couldn't have caused the COVID-19 pandemic.