Covid-19: New WHO group to look into pandemic origins is dogged by alleged conflicts of interest
BMJ 2021; 375 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n2588 (Published 22 October 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;375:n2588
- Paul D Thacker
- Madrid
The World Health Organization has chosen 26 scientists from 700 applicants for a new group to investigate the origins of the covid-19 pandemic, as well as future outbreaks.
WHO plans to appoint members to the new Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) after a two week review to gather public opinion on the proposed choices, which ends on 27 October.1
Seven of the current choices (box 1) were part of the WHO international team that travelled to China earlier this year to study the origins of SARS-CoV-2 with Chinese researchers. The team’s resulting report downplayed the possibility of a laboratory incident,2 and investigators faced complaints about conflicts of interest. Led by the US, several countries, including Australia, Japan, Canada, and the UK, called for a “transparent and independent analysis and evaluation, free from interference and undue influence.”3
Proposed SAGO members who were part of WHO’s team that met in Wuhan earlier this year to study the origins of SARS-CoV-2 with Chinese researchers
Vladimir Dedkov, deputy director for research at Pasteur Institute in Russia
Elmoubasher Farag, senior infectious disease epidemiologist and head of communicable diseases control programmes at Ministry of Public Health in Qatar
Thea Fischer, professor of virology at University of Copenhagen and head of clinical research at Nordsjaellands Hospital in Denmark
Marion Koopmans, professor and head of department of viroscience at Erasmus MC
Hung Nguyen-Viet, co-leader …