“Researchers obtained the full genome sequence of the virus by exhuming corpses from the Arctic tundra of persons who had been killed in the 1918 pandemic, extracting nucleic acids from the corpses and reconstructing the sequence of the virus … And it became clear very early that the research had been funded by the NIH, by Anthony Fauci, and had been funded without having performed any form of risk benefit assessment.”
In this episode of The Dana Parish Podcast, I sit down with molecular biologist and Rutgers professor, Richard Ebright, Ph.D., one of the world’s foremost experts on Gain of Function (GoF) research. Dr. Ebright has spent decades warning about the dangers of manipulating pathogens to make them more contagious or deadly, often speaking out during high-stakes government testimonies and in the press.
Dana Parish’s interview with Dr. Richard Ebright delves into the shocking historical timeline of gain of function (GoF) research, its transition to biodefense initiatives, and the key players and cover-ups that allowed this reckless science to flourish unchecked. Ebright lays out a decisive account of how this dangerous research likely led to the Covid-19 pandemic and offers vital steps we must take to prevent the next global catastrophe.
This is a must-watch for anyone who wants to understand the origins of the pandemic and the urgent need for accountability and reform in scientific research.
Shorter video
Reason #4629 that Fauci should absolutely NOT be pardoned for Crimes Against Humanity.
— Dana Parish (@danaparish) December 5, 2024
20M deaths, trillions in economic RUIN. Unforgivable & indefensible. If you still don’t get it, watch the whole interview for context. https://t.co/ZQ0Hw8znb0
The Deadliest Flu: The Complete Story of the Discovery and Reconstruction of the 1918 Pandemic Virus
The 1918 H1N1 flu pandemic, sometimes referred to as the “Spanish flu,” killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide, including an estimated 675,000 people in the United States.
The virus’ unique severity puzzled researchers for decades, and prompted several questions, such as “Why was the 1918 virus so deadly?”, “Where did the virus originate from?”, and “What can the public health community learn from the 1918 virus to better prepare for and defend against future pandemics?” These questions drove an expert group of researchers and virus hunters to search for the lost 1918 virus, sequence its genome, recreate the virus in a highly safe and regulated laboratory setting at CDC*, and ultimately study its secrets to better prepare for future pandemics. The following is a historical recounting of these efforts, complete with references and descriptions of the contributions made by all of the remarkable men and women involved.
*Our highlighting
https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/flu/pandemic-resources/reconstruction-1918-virus.html
A quote:
Buried and preserved by the permafrost about 7 feet deep was the body of an Inuit woman that Hultin named “Lucy.” Lucy, Hultin would learn, was an obese woman who likely died in her mid-20s due to complications from the 1918 virus. Her lungs were perfectly frozen and preserved in the Alaskan permafrost. Hultin removed them, placed them in preserving fluid, and later shipped them separately to Taubenberger and his fellow researchers, including Dr. Ann Reid, at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.5 Ten days later, Hultin received a call from the scientists to confirm — to perhaps everyone’s collective astonishment — that positive 1918 virus genetic material had indeed been obtained from Lucy’s lung tissue...
…the authors were able to sequence the entire code of the 1918 virus’ NA from the virus sample obtained from “Lucy’s” body…
…The decision to reconstruct the deadliest pandemic flu virus of the 20th century was made with considerable care and attention to safety. Senior government officials decided on CDC headquarters in Atlanta as the location of the reconstruction. CDC conducted two tiers of approvals: first by CDC’s Institutional Biosafety Committee and the second by CDC’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, before work in the laboratory began. The work would be performed using stringent biosafety and biosecurity precautions and facilities, including what’s known as Biosecurity Level 3 (BSL-3) practices and facilities with enhancements...
…Researchers were interested to know whether the 1918 virus would be lethal to fertilized chicken eggs, i.e., chicken eggs containing an embryo, similar to modern highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses.
To find an answer, 10-day old fertilized chicken eggs were inoculated with the 1918 virus. The 1918 virus proved lethal for the chicken egg embryos, similar to the effects caused by contemporary H1N1 bird flu viruses….
…On the day the 1918 virus appeared in his cell-culture, Dr. Tumpey knew history had been made, and in fact, a historic virus had been brought back from extinction. He sent a playful, Neil Armstrong-inspired email later that day to colleagues and collaborators, which simply said “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” …
…One possible solution is to create more broadly protective and longer lasting vaccines. Creation of a “universal vaccine” continues to elude the world’s top scientists, but in the future, it could become a reality. In the meantime, health officials seek to get the most out of new and existing flu vaccine technologies, such as cell based and recombinant vaccines, which are not reliant on a supply of chicken eggs, like traditional vaccines, and have the potential to be produced faster.
One other vaccine issue is the inadequate global capacity for mass producing flu vaccines. Global pandemic flu vaccine capacity was estimated to be 6.4 billion doses in 2015, but this is not enough to cover even half of the world’s population, should two doses of a pandemic vaccine be required for protection…
Head to the CDC archive for more of this fascinating tale of gain-of-function research masquerading as pandemic protection.
https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/flu/pandemic-resources/reconstruction-1918-virus.html