From the recent Anthony Fauci / Rand Paul exchange:
Rand Paul: "Viruses that in nature only infect animals were manipulated in the Wuhan lab to gain the function of infecting humans. This research fits the definition of the research that the NIH said was subject to the pause, in 2014 to 2017, a pause in funding on gain of function. But the NIH failed to recognize this, defines it away, and it never came under any scrutiny."
Why was the NIH pause on funding for gain of function experimentation lifted in December of 2017?
Was there an "urgent need?"
https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director/statements/nih-lifts-funding-pause-gain-function-research