Former NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and former NIAID Director Dr. Tony Fauci have come under scrutiny for allegedly profiting from COVID-19 inventions using American taxpayer dollars. According to unredacted records published by transparency watchdog OpenTheBooks.com, Fauci and Collins received 58 royalty payments from companies licensing their own COVID-19 inventions. These inventions were developed using taxpayer funds.
Despite the NIH’s attempts to block Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, OpenTheBooks.com managed to obtain over 1,500 pages of records. These documents provide evidence that Fauci and Collins not only received financing for their inventions but also profited from ongoing royalty payments throughout the pandemic.
The records show a total of 56,000 transactions amounting to over $325 million. However, the individual amounts for each payment and corresponding licenses were not disclosed.
Fauci personally received 37 payments from three companies between 2010 and 2021. Notably, he received 15 payments from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, a company that manufactures medical research products, including antibodies. Santa Cruz Biotechnology ranked fifth in the royalty database for the number of payments made. Ancell Corp., a producer of immunology tools, made 14 payments to Fauci, while Chiron Corp., which was acquired by Novartis in 2006, made eight payments.
The situation is similar for Collins, who collected 21 payments from four different companies between 2010 and 2018. GeneDx, a genetic research firm, accounted for 12 payments, having received $5 million in federal contract payments primarily from the NIH since 2008. Four payments came from Quest Diagnostics’ Specialty Laboratories, four from Ionis Pharmaceuticals, and one from the Progeria Research Foundation.
OpenTheBooks.com emphasizes the need to know the precise details of each payment, including names and license numbers. Unfortunately, this information was redacted by the NIH. The group believes that the unredacted records could reveal potential conflicts of interest or public health risks.
The revelation raises questions about Fauci’s previous testimony under oath. During a hearing last year, Fauci, who was overseeing the NIAID at the time, told Senator Rand Paul that he doubted receiving any royalties from entities receiving money from the NIAID. This statement may need to be reassessed given the evidence presented.
It is worth noting that Fauci had previously received over $45,000 in royalties nearly two decades earlier for an experimental AIDS treatment funded by the NIH. OpenTheBooks.com reports that subsequent studies found the treatment to have zero efficacy, and Fauci never provided evidence of his claim to donate the royalties to charity.
The release of these records provides valuable insight into the financial affairs of Collins and Fauci. As more information becomes available, the public awaits further investigation to determine any potential conflicts of interest or wrongdoing. With concerns surrounding the origins of COVID-19 and the utilization of taxpayer funds, transparency and accountability are paramount in addressing these issues.
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