Bowling Green Today

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, announced today that his bipartisan Risky Research Review Act has advanced in committee. The act proposes the creation of a Life Sciences Research Security Board within the Executive Branch to oversee gain-of-function research and other high-risk life sciences studies.

The board will function as an independent body to evaluate gain-of-function research and other potentially harmful studies involving high-consequence pathogens. According to Senator Paul, current funding and oversight mechanisms for life sciences research are inadequate, leading to taxpayer dollars being spent without proper safeguards.

"NIH funneled federal dollars through EcoHealth Alliance to support gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology," stated Paul. He added that multiple federal agencies had sent taxpayer funds to China's Academy of Military Medical Sciences, supporting research by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The proposed legislation aims to establish a stringent review process for high-risk research proposals, ensuring accountability and transparency.

Support for the bill includes various experts in health policy and molecular biology. Dr. Redfield, former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, commented, "This is a very important bill which when implemented will ensure national security is prioritized when making US life science funding decisions."

Jay Bhattacharya from Stanford University also expressed support: "The Risky Research Review Act is a great step forward toward the goal of protecting the American people from scientists conducting dangerous experiments."

Dr. Alina Chan from M.I.T. and Harvard emphasized the need for external oversight: "Research with pandemic risks can result in millions of deaths and trillions in economic damage."

Richard H. Ebright from Rutgers University highlighted gaps in current oversight: "The legislative proposal sets forth an approach to close these gaps with minimal costs and adverse impacts."

Steven Quay from Atossa Therapeutics compared this initiative to historical precedents: "Historians will compare this to the 1946 establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission by President Truman."

Bryce Nickels from Biosafety Now praised the move towards independent oversight: "This much-needed legislation will safeguard the public from lab-generated pandemics."

Meryl Nass commended Senator Paul's effort: "I highly commend the Senator for this critical effort to improve safety."

Simon Wain-Hobson from Institute Pasteur stressed responsible use of modern genetics: "An oversight committee independent of NIH is necessary... The Risky Research Review Act provides elements to achieve these goals."

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