A taxpayer watchdog group has reported that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) continues to channel millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars into Chinese laboratories conducting brutal animal experiments. The investigation, dubbed “Seeing Red,” reveals that these labs are not only testing drugs on dogs but also inflicting severe and lethal procedures on animals.
According to the White Coast Waste Project’s report, the NIH has funded at least 28 animal laboratories in China, some of which are directly connected to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese military. These facilities have received over $2 million in U.S. taxpayer money, despite their involvement in harmful and arguably unnecessary experiments. The most shocking finding is the NIH’s ongoing support for dog testing labs where beagles, some as young as one day old, are subjected to invasive procedures. Among the gruesome experiments documented are spinal cord severing, forced drug administration, and other procedures that ultimately lead to the animals’ deaths.
The labs receiving funding include prominent names such as Pharmaron and WuXi AppTec, both of which have records of conducting painful drug trials on beagles and other animals. Pharmaron, for instance, currently benefits from a $124,200 NIH contract specifically for drug testing on dogs. WCW’s investigation also uncovered that NIH-funded labs have inflicted severe pain and suffering on these animals without clear scientific necessity.
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One of the most troubling aspects of the report is that many of the labs receiving U.S. funding also conduct gain-of-function and other high-risk virus research, echoing the controversial activities previously reported at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Some of these labs are managed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), an organization with ties to the Chinese military that has been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Documents obtained by WCW reveal that CAS-run facilities have conducted experiments on beagles involving invasive liver surgeries and the use of psychedelic drugs.
The NIH faced significant backlash during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly surrounding its guidance, funding decisions, and the role of some of its prominent figures, like Dr. Anthony Fauci. One of the most significant controversies involved the NIH’s funding of research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China. Lawmakers and media outlets argued that the NIH indirectly funded “gain-of-function” research, which involves modifying viruses to better understand their capabilities, potentially making them more infectious or deadly. Dr. Fauci has since denied that the funded work constituted gain-of-function research as defined by U.S. standards.
Lawmakers have introduced the Chinese Laboratory Accountability and Watchful Spending (CLAWS) Act, designed to mandate an annual review and report on all U.S. taxpayer funds going to animal testing labs in China. According to Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Representative Nick Langworthy (R-NY), who are spearheading the legislation, it is crucial for federal agencies to justify why they are sending money to labs associated with a foreign adversary while engaging in cruel practices .
Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) has condemned the NIH’s actions in the past, stating, “It’s disgusting that the Biden-Harris Administration is still sending American tax dollars to shady Chinese labs for unnecessary, unethical, and unsafe experiments on dogs and puppies. This needs to stop immediately. They must’ve forgotten what happened in Wuhan.” The investigation reveals a large problem of regulatory oversight gaps and transparency loopholes that allow federal funds to flow to foreign labs with little accountability. The FDA has stated that human drug trials do not require dog testing, further questioning why these labs receive funding for such experiments.
