US Government Terminates Funding for DEEP VZN

September 9, 2023

The Joe Biden Administration has abruptly terminated funding for the DEEP VZN program, a research initiative designed to discover and study thousands of exotic pathogens worldwide. Led by Washington State University, DEEP VZN faced opposition from lawmakers and scientists who expressed concerns about the potential risks associated with handling these pathogens.

This decision comes as the U.S. government reevaluated the relative risks and impacts of the research program. Notably, DEEP VZN replaced the previous virus-hunting programs STOP Spillover and PREDICT in 2021, signaling a shift in priorities.

What was the DEEP VZN program?

The DEEP VZN program, officially known as the Discovery and Exploration of Emerging Pathogen-Viral Zoonoses program, aimed to collect over half a million biological samples from around the world and study approximately 12,000 viruses found within these samples.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact DEEP VZN?

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a reassessment of priorities by USAID and the U.S. government, leading to the termination of the DEEP VZN program as they prepared to address and combat pandemics more effectively.

What were the arguments in favor of DEEP VZN?

Supporters of DEEP VZN argued that the program could provide early warnings about wildlife pathogens that might jump to humans, similar to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They believed such research could have potentially prevented the virus from entering the human chain.

What were the concerns raised by opponents of DEEP VZN?

Opponents of the DEEP VZN program expressed fears that the research could lead to accidental infections and the transmission of viruses or pathogens, raising safety concerns.

What were the previous U.S.-backed virus-hunting programs?

Before DEEP VZN, there were other U.S.-backed virus-hunting programs, namely STOP Spillover and PREDICT, which focused on researching exotic viruses and pathogens. DEEP VZN replaced these programs in 2021, signaling a shift in research priorities.

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