Fed watchdog to review grants amid Wuhan lab controversy

A federal watchdog has opened an investigation into the National Institutes of Health’s grant program amid the ongoing controversy over funds being sent to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

“We share stakeholders’ concerns regarding compliance and oversight of NIH grant funds. We have been monitoring this issue for some time and consider it a high-priority matter that can pose a threat to the integrity of the NIH grant program,” Department of Health and Human Services inspector general spokesperson Tesia Williams said in a statement obtained by the Post. “Based on our preliminary research and analysis, HHS-OIG has decided to conduct an extensive audit reviewing how NIH monitored selected grants and how the grantees and subgrantees used and managed federal funds between years 2014 through 2021,” Williams added.