More than 30 government scientists abruptly left a town hall meeting Tuesday after newly appointed NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya suggested the agency may have played a part in creating the COVID-19 pandemic, Daily Mail reported.
During his first official address at the National Institutes of Health, Bhattacharya made controversial claims about the origins of the coronavirus and the agency’s past research funding, igniting immediate backlash amid existing tension over budget cuts and layoffs.
The town hall event was held at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, at around 1 p.m., marking Bhattacharya’s first major appearance since being appointed as director by former President Donald Trump. Audience members included NIH staff and researchers, many of whom expressed concern over ongoing administrative changes.
Bhattacharya, known for his opposition to pandemic lockdowns and prior involvement in the Great Barrington Declaration, was quickly challenged by attendees over steep funding reductions under his leadership. He defended the decisions, calling the cuts necessary and criticizing certain projects supported by the NIH, particularly those he described as lacking scientific merit and rooted in political ideology.
The event took a sharp turn when Bhattacharya commented on the origins of COVID-19, saying it was plausible that “research conducted by human beings” could have caused the outbreak, and that the NIH may have “partly sponsored” such work. This reference was widely interpreted as pointing to previous NIH-funded experiments in China.
The NIH had financially supported virus manipulation projects at the Wuhan Institute of Virology before the pandemic’s outbreak. U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and FBI, have pointed to a possible lab leak from Wuhan as the likely origin of the coronavirus.
Immediately following Bhattacharya’s remarks, more than 30 scientists in the audience stood and exited the room in protest. As they left, Bhattacharya responded by saying, “It’s nice to have free speech. You’re welcome, you guys.”
After the walkout, Bhattacharya continued to address the remaining crowd, stating that if it turned out the NIH had funded research that led to the pandemic, it was critical to ensure that similar experiments did not occur again. He emphasized the need to avoid any studies that might pose a public health threat.
He added that many Americans believe the virus stemmed from laboratory research, and he himself was persuaded by mounting scientific evidence supporting that possibility. Notably, in May 2022, he had distanced himself from the lab leak theory, but his recent comments suggest a shift in his stance.
The walkout came amidst broader unrest at the NIH, where up to $2.7 billion in cuts are being implemented under the Trump administration’s policy direction. These reductions are projected to result in more than 1,200 staff layoffs, according to a report by Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Bhattacharya also took aim at specific types of NIH-funded research, criticizing topics such as studies into structural racism. He suggested that work in this area did not contribute to public health and instead damaged scientific integrity and public trust.
He argued that research that aligns too closely with political ideology could undermine the mission of the NIH. This line of reasoning received sharp criticism from many within the scientific community, who view such studies as critical to addressing long-term health disparities.
In discussing the agency’s future, Bhattacharya identified five core priorities he intends to pursue: tackling chronic illnesses, protecting academic freedom, improving research reproducibility, promoting innovative science, and committing to transparency.
The director’s comments on COVID-19 origins contrast with earlier statements he made. In a 2022 post on X, previously known as Twitter, he questioned the lab leak theory, saying, “Who says I believe it was a lab leak? I still don't.” Now, citing increasing volumes of evidence, Bhattacharya appears more open to the theory that lab experiments may have played a role in spreading the virus.
During the pandemic, Bhattacharya drew national attention for supporting targeted public health strategies rather than broad lockdowns. His views were sharply criticized by many leading health officials, including former NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins, who privately referred to Bhattacharya as a “fringe epidemiologist” in 2021 emails.
