Confronting Gain-of-Function Research

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, new scientific analyses and insider accounts have revealed major vulnerabilities in how the United States oversees high-risk biological research. Gain-of-function research and enhanced pathogen experiments are often conducted with limited transparency and inconsistent safeguards, posing a unique threat when governance structures fail. Insights from recent investigations and firsthand experience from public health leaders underscore the troubling reality that the systems meant to protect the public were not designed for the scale and complexity of today’s biological threats.