NIH Principal Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak Abruptly Resigns
Shocking Development Amidst Controversy
Dr. Lawrence Tabak, the former acting director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) who admitted to Congress last year that his agency funded risky gain-of-function virus research in China, abruptly resigned on Tuesday, according to multiple reports. As the No. 2 official at NIH, Tabak’s resignation has sent shockwaves through the scientific community.
No Reason Given for Departure
Tabak did not provide a reason for his departure in a notice to colleagues. In an email obtained by The New York Times, he wrote, “It has been an enormous privilege to work with each of you (and your predecessors) to support and further the critical NIH mission.” The email was reportedly circulated to staff at the NIH earlier this week, stating, “I write to inform you that I have retired from government service, effective today, 2/11/2025.”
Reports of Unacceptable Reassignment
The New York Times reported that Tabak was facing a reassignment to a role he found unacceptable, which may have contributed to his sudden departure. As the second-in-command at NIH, Tabak had been a key figure in the agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Controversial Research Funding
Tabak led the NIH during part of the COVID-19 pandemic and faced scrutiny from congressional Republicans over federal grants provided to the Manhattan-based nonprofit EcoHealth Alliance for bat coronavirus research conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China – the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an October 2021 letter to Congress, Tabak appeared to contradict former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci’s testimony from May of that year, denying that the NIH funded the controversial research.
Gain-of-Function Research
Tabak’s letter acknowledged that the NIH funded a “limited experiment” at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which involved modifying bat coronaviruses to make them more infectious. The research was conducted by EcoHealth Alliance, which failed to report that the modified bat coronaviruses had been made 10,000 times more infectious in violation of its grant terms. The NIH later scrubbed its definition of gain-of-function research from its website the same day the letter was sent to the House Oversight Committee.
Congressional Testimony
In May 2022, Tabak finally admitted to lawmakers that EcoHealth-funded experiments in Wuhan were, in fact, gain-of-function research. “If you’re speaking about the generic term, yes, we did,” Tabak responded when asked by Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.) of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic whether NIH funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology through EcoHealth Alliance.
Conclusion
Dr. Lawrence Tabak’s abrupt resignation from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has sent shockwaves through the scientific community. As the No. 2 official at NIH, his departure is a significant development amidst ongoing controversy surrounding the agency’s funding of gain-of-function virus research in China.
FAQs
* Why did Dr. Lawrence Tabak resign from the NIH?
+ Tabak did not provide a reason for his departure, but reports suggest he was facing a reassignment to a role he found unacceptable.
* What is gain-of-function research?
+ Gain-of-function research involves modifying viruses to make them more infectious or deadly, which can increase the risk of pandemics.
* What is the controversy surrounding the NIH’s funding of gain-of-function research in China?
+ The NIH’s funding of gain-of-function research in China has been criticized for potentially creating the COVID-19 pandemic, and Dr. Tabak’s agency has faced scrutiny from congressional Republicans over the issue.
