 Health Care |
Health Care |
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White House cuts off funding to Wuhan lab |
The Biden administration is suspending all federal funding to the Wuhan lab at the center of controversy over the origins of the coronavirus and is moving to cut off payments permanently.
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The announcement came Monday in a memo sent sent by the House Oversight Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, which has been probing the administration's grants to the Wuhan Institute.
Republican members of the panel have insisted the virus was manufactured in the Chinese facility with the aid of U.S. funding and spread worldwide because of a lab leak.
GOP lawmakers offered no praise for the decision, saying it was long overdue.
"It's past time that the Biden administration made this decision, but they deserve no credit for finally doing what the evidence and facts demanded. It is outrageous that it took them so long. HHS must now consider a similar debarment for EcoHealth Alliance," the GOP leaders of the Energy and Commerce Committee and its subcommittees said in a statement.
The memo from a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) official said the Wuhan Institute of Virology has repeatedly refused to provide documents and answer questions from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) about safety and security. HHS also told the lab it's seeking to cut off funding permanently.
That the Wuhan Institute "likely violated protocols of the NIH regarding biosafety is undisputed," wrote the official, whose name was redacted. "As such, there is risk that WIV not only previously violated, but is currently violating, and will continue to violate, protocols of the NIH on biosafety."
The institute, which has not received NIH money since 2020, now has 30 days to respond to the notice.
"Therefore, I have determined that the immediate suspension of WIV is necessary to mitigate any potential public health risk," the HHS official wrote.
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Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. |
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
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Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: |
- The Senate HELP committee will hold a meeting Thursday to go over reauthorizing the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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Maine governor expands access to abortion later in pregnancy |
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine will soon expand abortion access, joining a half dozen states that leave it to doctors and patients to make the decision without restrictions on timing. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill into law Wednesday that allows abortions at any time if deemed medically necessary by a doctor, making the law one … |
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Local and state headlines on health care: |
- A mom owed nearly $102,000 for her son's stay in a state mental health hospital (NPR)
- Extreme heat in Arizona increased hospitalizations to pandemic levels at one medical center (CNN)
- Indiana health officials launch investigation into troubled Landmark Recovery facility (WNDU)
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Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
- House committee probes FDA inspections of pharma plants in China and India (Stat)
- Rising number of overdose deaths involve mix of opioids with cocaine, meth (The Washington Post)
- Could Facebook messages be used in abortion-related prosecution? (The 19th News)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
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The House Oversight and Accountability Committee is slated to hold a hearing Wednesday afternoon with the IRS whistleblowers on the Hunter Biden criminal … Read more |
| Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) announced on his podcast Tuesday he is introducing legislation to defund investigations into former President Trump … Read more |
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Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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