This week, President Donald Trump made headlines by signing an executive order aimed at restricting research that could potentially trigger the next pandemic.
The new policy bans U.S. funds from sponsoring so-called ‘gain-of-function’ research abroad, where pathogens are intentionally made more dangerous or infectious.
A Step Toward Safety—or Just a Partial Fix?
Trump’s announcement was met with some applause, as the president emphasized the importance of the order.
“It’s a big deal,” he said during a White House briefing on Monday.
“It could have been that we wouldn’t have had the problem we had if we had this done earlier.”
However, a deeper dive into the order’s fine print reveals that it might not be as far-reaching as many had hoped.
While the order prohibits U.S. funds from supporting gain-of-function research in countries like China and Iran—referred to as “countries of concern”—it doesn’t impose a complete ban.
The policy allows for federal funding to continue in the U.S. and allied countries, but it calls for increased monitoring from the U.S. government.
Critics Argue the Order Doesn’t Go Far Enough
Some critics, like Thomas Renz, a vaccine-skeptic lawyer and Trump supporter, argue that the order does not end gain-of-function research.
Instead, he claims it “codifies” the practice. “They’re going to allow it under new regulations. And by doing that, they’re essentially saying, ‘We’re fine with gain-of-function as long as it follows the current rules.’”
Renz finds it troubling that the order could legitimize such research within the U.S., despite the risks involved.
The Fine Print of the Executive Order
Trump signed the executive order with a short 20-minute session at the White House, flanked by top health officials like the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.
The order criticizes the Biden administration for allowing dangerous gain-of-function research without sufficient oversight, especially in countries like China, where the U.S. has little control over biosafety measures.
The order also highlights concerns about potential proliferation of such research in unsafe conditions, a risk made apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, the order calls on Michael Kratsios, the head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to develop new guidelines for monitoring the research within 120 days.
A History of Shifting Policies
The debate over gain-of-function research has been ongoing for years.
Back in 2014, the Obama administration halted federal funding for experiments that could make viruses more dangerous.
Trump reversed this policy in 2017, allowing the experiments to resume but under strict guidelines.
Following the pandemic, the Biden administration introduced new laws to monitor this research, but critics argue that the system still lacks adequate independent oversight.
Trump’s executive order builds on this Biden-era framework, with an emphasis on improving the monitoring of such experiments moving forward.
However, some critics remain unconvinced that it goes far enough to prevent future risks.