Fauci Defends Gain-of-Function Research: If People Feel Those Guardrails Should Be Changed, Then Change Them | Video | RealClearPolitics

Fauci Defends Gain-of-Function Research: If People Feel Those Guardrails Should Be Changed, Then Change Them | Video | RealClearPolitics: Dr. Anthony Fauci defended gain-of-function after reporting by The Intercept raises questions over the NIH’s funding of research in China. Fauci said the experiments were "done for the purpose of surveillance of what is out in the community already there." ANTHONY FAUCI: Well The Intercept reporting is completely misleading. Because gain of function is a completely meaningless term, unless you put it into context. What has happened is that years ago we paused all function on manipulating viruses which is absolutely essential part of virology, in order to get certain guardrails and guidelines about what constitutes research that in fact might be dangerous and needs special oversight. That took three years of deliberation to set guardrails and guidelines to get rid of ambiguous and misleading term of gain of function, so that you can proceed with experiments if it falls within those guidelines. The NIH funded studies which were highly, highly peer-reviewed and felt to be very important to understand what the risk is…Now let me finish because no one ever lets me finish and they go on and talk about what gain of function is. The fact is that was done under very strict guidelines. Then