US Halts Controversial $125m Virus Hunting Program Amid Safety Concerns

The Biden administration has halted funding for a $125 million research program called DEEP VZN, which aimed to discover and catalogue thousands of exotic pathogens from around the world. The program, led by researchers from Washington State University, sought to collect nearly half a million biological specimens from wildlife and isolate at least 12,000 novel viruses for further study. The decision to terminate the program was made due to concerns about the risk of accidental outbreaks and opposition from lawmakers, scientists, and public health experts. While DEEP VZN has been shut down, the U.S. Agency for International Development is expanding other initiatives to respond to emerging diseases in over 50 countries.