Squashed: Dr. Deborah Birx Claims Lab-Leak Theory Suppression

Dr. Deborah Birx alleges an early effort to suppress the lab-leak theory regarding the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, as some individuals took "definitive sides" influenced by political affiliations.

Birx, who served in her role during the early days of the pandemic, made her statement during an interview with CNN on Tuesday. She alleged that as individuals took "definitive sides" on the issue, the discussion became "divided along party lines."

"I do think it happened," Birx said. "If you look at what people said about Bob Redfield and how they disparaged him as a scientist because he wanted to bring forward the lab leak potential."

Redfield, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was among the first to suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic may have originated in a laboratory. However, his theory was widely dismissed by the media and other prominent health officials.

Birx suggested that the reason Redfield felt compelled to push the lab leak theory was to counter the prevailing narrative that the virus had to have originated in animals. She emphasized that the uncertainty surrounding the origin of the virus should not have prevented further investigation and protective measures.

"We knew as SARS that China was not transparent. We knew with the second SARS, China was not transparent, so we were not going to get an answer," Birx said.

She stressed the need for increased regulation and guidelines to prevent future lab leaks, citing the example of laboratory-acquired HIV infections.

Birx's comments add to the ongoing debate surrounding the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the World Health Organization has maintained that the most likely origin is zoonotic, the lab leak theory has gained traction in recent months, particularly following the release of a report by the U.S. Department of Energy suggesting that the virus may have escaped from a laboratory.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has denied suppressing the lab leak theory. In a recent congressional hearing, Fauci stated that he supported investigating all possible origins, including both zoonotic and laboratory.

The House Oversight Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic also held a hearing on Monday to discuss the origin of the virus. Birx praised Fauci's remarks, emphasizing the need to acknowledge the uncertainty surrounding the issue and to focus on preventing future pandemics.

"The one thing good coming out of the hearing, I believe, and I think Dr. Fauci made this point over and over again, we’re at a place where we can definitively say we do not know if it was lab or zoonotic, from animals," Birx said.

She called for increased international cooperation and oversight of laboratory experiments to protect the public from potential future outbreaks.