Covid Villain Profile: Peter Dazsak

In the world of Covid-19 research, no narrative is complete without the mention of Peter Daszak. As the leader of EcoHealth Alliance, a significant player in global viral research, Daszak's fingerprints are spread throughout the genesis of this global fight. However, as a key facilitator of gain-of-function research and his uncomfortable proximity to the hub of discrepancies—the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Daszak's character is a magnet for controversy. His role raises critical questions regarding the intertwining threads of science, ethics, and transparency—elements that hold the power to rewrite the history of this pandemic.

Swirling amidst the storm of the early Covid response, Peter Daszak found himself flung into a less than flattering limelight. His infamous involvements—with the highly contentious gain-of-function research and a seemingly nefarious partnership with the Wuhan Institute of Virology—pulled him into this vortex of controversy.

In a stroke of tempered ambition, Jeffrey Sachs elected Daszak to command the helm of the origin division of the Lancet's pandemic commission - poised to look at the origins of COVID-19. However, Daszak played a less than scrupulous game: he stubbornly sealed off inquiries about his conflicting interests, hid the financial details of gain-of-function research, and contractively withheld research proposals from the same commission that hoped for his guidance. This opaque veil proved one shade too dark for Sachs, leading to Daszak's dismissal.

Further exploration into Daszak's labyrinthine dealings unveils an alarming narrative. As the principal investor in the Wuhan Research, Daszak doubled as a puppeteer orchestrating a dance of discretion—a renowned letter in The Lancet, encouraging scientists to subtly disassociate from the Wuhan lab, amplifying the echo of independent voices. This action cast a long shadow over the veracity of their public statements.

However, Daszak was seemingly determined to fan the flames of suspicion about his objectivity. His fervent dismissal of the lab-leak theory, accompanied by an applause at China's supposed 'transparency' post-investigation, only raised further concern over his actions.

The plot thickened as Daszak, a vociferous refuter of the skeptics on the origins of Covid-19, conveniently dodged transparency about his substantial backing of the Wuhan lab. His silence became a screeching siren, signaling an ethical violation and raising alarms about a yet uncharted realm of responsibility— a point not lost on The Lancet and other similar institutions.

Amazingly, despite the surrounding whirlpool of controversy, the NIH's generous grants remained an untouched lifeline for Daszak and those discrediting the lab-leak theory. This may have propagated the belief in a potential reward for aligning oneself with a certain narrative. A glaring example is Daszak's EcoHealth Alliance, which continued to receive funding even after previous grants halted due to non-compliance—an act that seemed to thumb their noses at the rightfully concerned, toutingly boasting their daring.

Basic timeline:

• 2014 - US bans gain-of-function research. Fauci allegedly seeks to circumvent this by moving some research to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Daszak's EcoHealth Alliance used as a conduit to funnel money to the Wuhan lab.

• January 2018 - US embassy in Beijing cables warnings about safety issues with the Wuhan lab and their coronavirus research.

• 2018 - Daszak submits grant proposal to DARPA for risky DEFUSE project to inoculate bats against viruses. This resembles gain-of-function research and is rejected.

• Early 2020 - Daszak orchestrates Lancet letter condemning the lab leak theory. Also coordinates behind-the-scenes with scientists to present a unified front dismissing the lab leak hypothesis.

• Spring 2020 - Named to WHO team investigating COVID-19 origins, despite conflicts of interest.

• 2021 - Emails released via FOIA requests reveal Daszak's efforts to distort the narrative around the pandemic origins.

• 2021 - Daszak steps down from Lancet commission investigating COVID origins after failing to disclose details of his research and funding.

• 2022 - Daszak continues work with EcoHealth Alliance on pandemic-related projects, including a new collaboration with Columbia University.