Dangerous Loophole: The U.S. Government’s Secret Bioweapons Play
A new rule is shaking things up in Washington. The U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) rolled out a policy last year and it kicks in today. Basically, the rule lets the Secretary of “any federal department” indefinitely waive oversight on high-risk experiments with deadly pathogens. No extra safety checks. No independent review.
This means government-backed gain-of-function (GOF) experiments can run wild. Many believe these risky experiments are linked to the COVID-19 disaster that claimed millions of lives.
I sounded the alarm back in October 2024 and again the following month in my articles. Now, the US is all too ready to ignore safety, even if it pushes dangerous experiments into overdrive.
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Strangely, the OSTP document shies away from the term “gain-of-function,” even though it describes work that clearly fits that mold. It appears this is done to downplay the controversy. But don’t be fooled by the fancy words. The government is set on engineering even deadlier pathogens – and they want to do it behind closed doors.
The paper, titled “United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential,” was released without congressional approval on May 6, 2024. Now, one year later, all parts of the policy are in force.
The policy covers research on biological agents and toxins that could threaten public health, agriculture, food security, or even national security. It even targets projects that might “create, transfer, or use pathogens with enhanced pandemic potential (PEPPs)” and includes plans to create or enhance deadly pathogens.
The document spells out that a pathogen with pandemic potential (PPP) is one that’s “likely capable of wide and uncontrollable spread in a human population and would likely cause moderate to severe disease and/or mortality in humans.” Meanwhile, a pathogen with enhanced pandemic potential (PEPP) comes from experiments that boost a pathogen’s transmissibility or virulence—or mess with pre-existing immunity. That is basically the definition of gain-of-function research.
Even scarier, research involving the resurrection of exterminated germs like smallpox or the infamous Spanish flu is on the table. This means labs could bring back viruses believed to be gone for decades and deal with them under a dangerous waiver. It’s like opening Pandora’s box.
The policy grants any federal agency the power to bypass safety protocols. It states that “any” federal department secretary can exempt research proposals from oversight if they decide it’s “urgently required” and that the benefits outweigh the risks. The exemptions can be for up to 180 days at a time – with renewals that could make dangerous research go unchecked indefinitely.
Things got even more heated when President Trump stepped in with his new executive order. Many claim it bans all gain-of-function research, but that’s not true. The EO simply suspends federal funding for certain GOF projects. It allows exceptions too – as long as the OSTP Director, Michael Kratsios, gives the green light.
The EO states, “Heads of agencies shall report any exception to a suspension to the Director of OSTP for review in consultation with the APNSA and the heads of relevant agencies.” Routine or lower-risk studies continue, and non-federally funded research isn’t banned either.
Even though Trump’s EO demands that the OSTP overhaul the waiver policy within 120 days, it leaves the most dangerous part intact. Section 5.5 still lets any agency head waive oversight at will. Until the OSTP freezes this loophole or the President takes further action, dangerous experiments can continue behind closed doors.
Meanwhile, the current administration is busy laying the groundwork for even riskier scenarios. They’re fast-tracking vaccine programs and quietly coordinating with global bodies like the WHO, all while pushing forward with unsafe experiments. With this waiver in effect, it seems the U.S. government has effectively given a free pass to secret bioweapons research – all cloaked under the guise of pandemic preparedness.
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