Foreign Gain-of-Function Research Prevention Act of 2021

Foreign Gain-of-Function Research Prevention Act of 2021

This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to conduct or support gain-of-function research involving potential pandemic pathogens by China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, or other foreign adversaries. Gain-of-function research is any research that is anticipated to confer an attribute on a pathogen to enhance its pathogenicity or transmissibility in mammals.

If the Department of State finds that an entity has used funds for prohibited research, the entity may not receive any federal funding for a period of five years.

Bill 117 HR 4071, also known as the Foreign Gain-of-Function Research Prevention Act of 2021, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress with the aim of preventing foreign countries from conducting gain-of-function research that could potentially pose a threat to national security and public health.

Gain-of-function research involves altering the genetic makeup of viruses, bacteria, or other pathogens to make them more transmissible or virulent. While this type of research can provide valuable insights into how diseases spread and evolve, there are concerns that it could also lead to the creation of dangerous pathogens that could be used as bioweapons.

The Foreign Gain-of-Function Research Prevention Act of 2021 seeks to address these concerns by prohibiting the funding of gain-of-function research by foreign governments or entities in the United States. The bill also requires the Director of National Intelligence to submit an annual report to Congress on foreign countries' activities related to gain-of-function research. Overall, the goal of this legislation is to safeguard national security and public health by preventing the proliferation of potentially dangerous pathogens through gain-of-function research conducted by foreign entities.