SUNDAY READ
Welcome to this special edition of Snopes’ newsletter. Today, we’re investigating a persistent rumor claiming Dr. Fauci funded research that allegedly caused the COVID-19 pandemic.
Did Fauci fund Chinese research that caused COVID-19?
More than six years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, gaps in our knowledge about its origin are still fueling speculation and conspiracy theories.
One persistent rumor accuses Dr. Anthony Fauci of funding research at a lab in China that supposedly created a genetically modified virus and caused the pandemic.
While the allegations are based on real, NIH-funded research into bat coronaviruses, the narrative draws conclusions that aren’t backed by evidence.
In this exclusive report, we unpack:
The competing theories behind the pandemic’s origin.
The debate over “gain-of-function” research.
The federal grant fueling the conspiracy theory involving Fauci.
The specific viruses at the center of the Wuhan lab’s research.
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