Multiple cases of illegal molecular research, conducted in the United States in violation of National Institute of Health (NIH) guidelines, have been unearthed during an independent investigation.
On Friday, political watchdog group Judicial Watch announced it received more than 2,000 pages of records revealing numerous cases of the illegal research.
The probe by Judicial Watch has now uncovered evidence that the dangerous research was conducted in America without proper approval.
Judicial Watch obtained the records in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
One email uncovered by Judicial Watch, dated February 2020, reveals that the Biosafety Officer for the University of Nebraska, Lincoln Dr. Matt Anderson, reported an incident that began in March 2018.
During the reported incident, Dr. Shi-Hua Xiang created an HIV pseudo-virus containing Marburg glycoprotein M78 in a university Biosafety Level 2 laboratory, for which he did not have authorization.
Accoridng to the email, Dr. Xiang was told to cease any further work, Judicial Watch reported.
“During the investigation, it was determined that Xiang was assisted by student researchers and that the experiment had continued until enough virions were created to complete the experiments that were testing novel peptide inhibitors of viral entry.
“The report states that Xiang completed NIH Guidelines training in 2012, 2018, and 2019 on responsibilities of obtaining approval prior to engaging in these types of experiments.”
Judicial Watch reports:
Judicial Watch announced today that it received 2369 pages of records from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) revealing over two dozen cases where research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid (r/sNA) molecules was conducted in America without proper approval and in violation of NIH guidelines.
Recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid (r/sNA) molecules are constructed outside of living cells.
The molecules are made by joining DNA or RNA segments (natural or synthetic) to DNA or RNA molecules that can replicate within a living cell.
They may also result from replication of previously constructed recombinant molecules.
NIH guidelines detail safety practices and containment procedures for basic and clinical research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules – including the creation and use of organisms and viruses containing recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules.
These guidelines require that any significant problems, violations, or any significant research-related accidents and illnesses be reported to NIH within 30 days.
The documents further showed that the research, which occurred at Biosafety Level 1/2/3 laboratories, led to dozens of dangerous mishaps, accidents, and spills.
“Americans deserve to know just how much illegal research is being conducted in their country without any government oversight whatsoever,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement regarding the discovery.
“These records appear to show that viruses that are potentially worse than COVID-19 are being illegally created in labs in our own country.”
BREAKING: @JudicialWatch Uncovers Dozens of Records of Illegal Molecular Research Reported to @NIH – https://t.co/1LTeSRCvAH
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) June 3, 2022
