WHO’s top scientist was linked to corrupt researcher involved in bioweapons research in Wuhan China
By ljdevon // 2025-01-27
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  • Jeremy Farrar, WHO’s chief scientific officer, collaborated with Peter Daszak, a researcher under scrutiny for coronavirus experiments in Wuhan.
  • The partnership raises questions about conflicts of interest in the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 origins investigation.
  • Farrar played a key role in suppressing the lab leak theory through influential scientific papers in 2020.
  • The U.S. government has initiated debarment proceedings against Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance for inadequate oversight of high-risk research.
  • The WHO’s credibility faces renewed scrutiny as ties between its leadership and controversial researchers come to light.

A controversial collaboration from the start

The World Health Organization (WHO), tasked with safeguarding global health, is facing mounting scrutiny over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic origins investigation. At the center of the controversy is Jeremy Farrar, the WHO’s chief scientific officer, whose past collaboration with Peter Daszak — a researcher under U.S. government investigation for high-risk coronavirus experiments in Wuhan — has raised questions about conflicts of interest. The revelation, uncovered through extensive grant documents and reporting, comes as the WHO struggles to maintain credibility amid allegations of political influence and scientific suppression. This story delves into the connections between Farrar and Daszak, the implications for the pandemic origins debate, and the broader consequences for global health governance. Jeremy Farrar, a prominent figure in global health, has long been associated with efforts to understand and combat infectious diseases. However, his ties to Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, have drawn criticism in light of the ongoing debate over the origins of COVID-19. According to a 2010 National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant proposal, Farrar was described as the “primary collaborator” in Vietnam for a project involving Daszak’s organization, then known as the Wildlife Trust. The project aimed to discover novel viruses in Southeast Asia, with samples slated for analysis at Columbia University. While the research did not directly involve the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the connection between Farrar and Daszak has sparked concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance are currently under debarment proceedings by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for inadequate oversight of coronavirus research in Wuhan. Farrar’s involvement with Daszak may have influenced the WHO’s early dismissal of the lab leak theory, which posits that COVID-19 may have originated from a laboratory leak, either accidentally or intentionally.

Suppressing the lab leak

Farrar’s role in shaping the narrative around COVID-19’s origins has come under intense scrutiny. In early 2020, he helped organize two high-profile scientific papers that stigmatized and censored discussion of the very real lab leak possibility. The first, published in The Lancet in February 2020, condemned “conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin.” The second, published in Nature Medicine in March 2020, concluded that the virus was “not a laboratory construct or a purposefully manipulated virus.” These publications, collectively known as the “Proximal Origin” papers, were instrumental in shifting the focus away from the possibility of a lab-related origin. A 2024 investigation by the U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic revealed that Farrar played a central role in organizing and shepherding the Nature Medicine paper through publication. Democrats on the committee argued that Farrar, rather than U.S. officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci, was the driving force behind the effort to suppress the lab leak theory.

The WHO’s credibility crisis

The revelations about Farrar’s ties to Daszak and his role in shaping the pandemic narrative have further eroded trust in the WHO. The organization has faced criticism for its perceived deference to China during the early stages of the pandemic. For example, a 2022 report by U.S. Right to Know revealed that the WHO’s first mission to Wuhan, co-led by Bruce Aylward, a senior WHO advisor, and Wannian Liang, a Chinese epidemiologist, appeared to prioritize China’s public relations interests over scientific transparency. The WHO’s handling of the pandemic origins investigation has also been marred by delays and political interference. A second phase of the investigation, launched after WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged the inadequacy of the initial findings, has been stalled for years. The intertwining careers of Jeremy Farrar and Peter Daszak underscore the corrupt web of relationships that shape global health governance. As the WHO grapples with allegations of conflicts of interest and political influence, the stakes for its credibility and effectiveness have never been higher. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org USRTK.org USRTK.org
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