WSJ editorial board slams Fauci, media and calls for congressional investigation

[Darth Omar]

The U.S. knows something about the research conducted at the WIV, because American taxpayer dollars helped fund it. This was the crux of last week’s dispute between Sen. Rand Paul and Anthony Fauci, who had cast doubt on the lab-leak hypothesis in the past. In their latest bout, the Kentucky Senator accused Dr. Fauci of lying to Congress, a federal crime, when he said this year that the National Institutes of Health had never funded gain-of-function research in Wuhan. The exchange descended into shouting.

The reality is complicated. The NIH gave almost $600,000 to the WIV through a nonprofit over several years to study bat coronaviruses. Mr. Paul cited a 2017 paper from WIV researchers that included experiments combining parts of viruses to study how to better infect human cells. But Dr. Fauci said the project was “judged by qualified staff up and down the chain as not being gain-of-function.”

This might be technically true, as a 2014 federal government definition describes such research as that which “increase the ability of infectious agents to cause disease by enhancing its pathogenicity or by increasing its transmissibility.” But some scientists think the government definition is too limited and can allow de facto gain-of-function research to bypass safety protocols. Rutgers molecular biologist Richard Ebright says the NIH-funded work “was—unequivocally—gain-of-function research.”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/anthony...bshare_twitter
______________

Rand Paul was right, of course. Engineering a virus to where it is able to infect human cells IS gain of function research.

But look at the Fauci definition of GOF research: “increase the ability of infectious agents to cause disease by enhancing its pathogenicity or by increasing its transmissibility.

If your brain has a logical bent to it, you might recognize that as a distinction without a difference and at least one [uncompromised] and respected molecular biologist would agree with you. If you add a widget to a mouse trap so that it traps chickens, the mouse trap has *gained function*.

In principle, the definition of GOF is that ridiculously straightforward. Similarly, when virologists add a spike protein that enables a non-transmissible virus to enter human cells—and become at least theoretically transmissible, THAT is GOF research.

Clearly, the government definition of GOF was ‘engineered’ to provide cover [in the form of plausible deniability] for Fauci and some others who have been collaborating with Chinese virologists on *gain of function research* for years. And they did this in spite of an Obama era ban on GOF research. Did Dr. Baric or other virologists teach Chinese virologists any lab techniques? Did they share gene splicing technology with them?

No wonder they wanted to bury the lab origin theory. This stinks.

[BidenPresident]

Wow, right wing newspaper does not like Democrats!

[Micawber]

Good luck with that.

[Darth Omar]

Wow, right wing newspaper does not like Democrats!

This is the WSJ calling for a congressional investigation. That might get some attention.

Btw, what does it have to do with democrats?

[Darth Omar]

Good luck with that.

Right lol?

[BidenPresident]

This is the WSJ calling for a congressional investigation. That might get some attention.

Btw, what does it have to do with democrats?

Nothing, you are right. Just because GOP has been attacking Fauci is irrelevant.

[Darth Omar]

Nothing, you are right. Just because GOP has been attacking Fauci is irrelevant.

Fauci is some sort of unapproachable demi-god?

[BidenPresident]

Fauci is some sort of unapproachable demi-god?

No. Just freaking obvious.

[Micawber]

Btw, what does it have to do with democrats?


Uh, you hate them and it motivates every keystroke you have ever made maybe?

[Concart]

FDS.

[Micawber]

Fauci is some sort of unapproachable demi-god?

Considering present company, yes.

[dukkha]

The U.S. knows something about the research conducted at the WIV, because American taxpayer dollars helped fund it. This was the crux of last week’s dispute between Sen. Rand Paul and Anthony Fauci, who had cast doubt on the lab-leak hypothesis in the past. In their latest bout, the Kentucky Senator accused Dr. Fauci of lying to Congress, a federal crime, when he said this year that the National Institutes of Health had never funded gain-of-function research in Wuhan. The exchange descended into shouting.

The reality is complicated. The NIH gave almost $600,000 to the WIV through a nonprofit over several years to study bat coronaviruses. Mr. Paul cited a 2017 paper from WIV researchers that included experiments combining parts of viruses to study how to better infect human cells. But Dr. Fauci said the project was “judged by qualified staff up and down the chain as not being gain-of-function.”

This might be technically true, as a 2014 federal government definition describes such research as that which “increase the ability of infectious agents to cause disease by enhancing its pathogenicity or by increasing its transmissibility.” But some scientists think the government definition is too limited and can allow de facto gain-of-function research to bypass safety protocols. Rutgers molecular biologist Richard Ebright says the NIH-funded work “was—unequivocally—gain-of-function research.”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/anthony...bshare_twitter
______________

Rand Paul was right, of course. Engineering a virus to where it is able to infect human cells IS gain of function research.

But look at the Fauci definition of GOF research: “increase the ability of infectious agents to cause disease by enhancing its pathogenicity or by increasing its transmissibility.

If your brain has a logical bent to it, you might recognize that as a distinction without a difference and at least one [uncompromised] and respected molecular biologist would agree with you. If you add a widget to a mouse trap so that it traps chickens, the mouse trap has *gained function*.

In principle, the definition of GOF is that ridiculously straightforward. Similarly, when virologists add a spike protein that enables a non-transmissible virus to enter human cells—and become at least theoretically transmissible, THAT is GOF research.

Clearly, the government definition of GOF was ‘engineered’ to provide cover [in the form of plausible deniability] for Fauci and some others who have been collaborating with Chinese virologists on *gain of function research* for years. And they did this in spite of an Obama era ban on GOF research. Did Dr. Baric or other virologists teach Chinese virologists any lab techniques? Did they share gene splicing technology with them?

No wonder they wanted to bury the lab origin theory. This stinks.

so who wrote the regs? it's obviously GOF, it's obviously written as you correct state to give plausible deniability

[dukkha]

This is the WSJ calling for a congressional investigation. That might get some attention.

lol.. no.
All Pelosi wants to investigate is 1/6 by her stacked committee narrative (guess what are going to be the conclusions?)
without ANY looking at why the Capitol had no reserve security that day - despite numerous warning
~~

But stuff like a PANDEMIC funded by the NIH in cooperation with the CCP??
who cares about such niceties?

[Darth Omar]

so who wrote the regs? it's obviously GOF, it's obviously written as you correct state to give plausible deniability

It was probably written shortly after the prohibition was put in under Obama. I don’t know why else they would be motivated to define it so narrowly. But this is the WSJ and not Revolver News. It should get the attention of Congress and/or *force* the media to report on it instead of defending Fauci.

Maybe.

[Micawber]

Thought experiment Darth.

If you knew (I mean metaphysical certitude-God in your ear knowledge) that attending college would make people more intelligent, wealthy and more liberal, would you oppose funding it?

I think your party needs people to be stupid and has sourced them and is nearing tap out levels. The (gold rush) 49rs are named that for a reason. It did not go on for decades.
When will you people get right with the world?