DEFUSE
 | |
| Date | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Perpetrators | Peter Daszak, EcoHealth Alliance |
| Description | A rejected proposal from Peter Daszak of EcoHealth Alliance to weaponise naturally occuring bat coronaviruses, to preempt "zoonotic spillover". Authenticity questionable. |
DEFUSE - Defusing the Threat of Bat-borne Coronaviruses (2018) was a purported research proposal by Peter Daszak of EcoHealth Alliance, asking for $14,209,245 of funding from DARPA to preempt "zoonotic spillover through reduction of viral shedding in the bat caves". It is unknown whether or not it is genuine or whether its "leaking" was a psychological operation to promote COVID fear and boost the official narrative about "pandemic potential".
Contents
Origins
The documents was reportedly found on an internet server.[By whom?][citation needed]
Authenticity?
Jonathan Couey suggested, possibly in 2022, that the document was a fraud designed to promote fear and uncertainty and to hide the fact that "gain-of-function" is not possible on coronaviruses viruses, due to their poor replication competence.
Application
Rejection
DARPA rejected the proposal, citing a number of reasons such as the failure to address the risks of Gain-of-function research.[1]
Exposure
Project Veritas released the rejection letter in January 2021.[2] It was give a much wider exposure in 2024 by Rand Paul.[3]
Related Document
| Title | Type | Publication date | Author(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document:DEFUSE project funding rejection letter | letter | 2018 | DARPA |
