On July 28, 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), led by director Jay Bhattacharya, announced a new policy prohibiting gain-of-function research, particularly concerning viruses like COVID-19. This decision aims to enhance oversight and prevent future risks associated with such research.
The policy follows concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, believed to have originated from gain-of-function research conducted at a lab in Wuhan, China, which received funding from the NIH.
Jay Bhattacharya pledged transparent oversight during his confirmation and introduced the government-wide policy against high-risk life sciences research.
The new policy marks a significant change by explicitly banning federal support for gain-of-function research that could pose a threat to safety and national security.
Enhanced requirements for research review and reporting will be implemented, with a focus on independent assessments for projects that might escalate risks involving biological agents.
International safeguards are also part of the new regulations, banning certain research collaborations and high-risk work in countries that lack adequate oversight.
Researchers are urged to thoroughly evaluate the risks and benefits of their experiments, even outside high-risk classifications.
The NIH's initiative to ban gain-of-function research is a response to the lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak, emphasizing the need for stricter guidelines to prevent hazardous research practices while ensuring the safety and health of the American public.
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