Overview

• President Trump signed an executive order banning federal funding for gain-of-function research in countries lacking robust oversight, including China and Iran.
• The order halts all current and future U.S. funding for gain-of-function studies and empowers agencies to identify and stop other high-risk biological research.
• All research involving infectious pathogens and toxins is paused until new enforceable guidelines are issued by the OSTP director and national security adviser.
• The measure seeks to reduce risks of lab-related incidents, responding to concerns over U.S.-funded research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology tied to COVID-19 origins.
• The White House emphasized that the order protects Americans from biosecurity threats while preserving critical biodefense and biotechnology advancements.