The Trump administration announced Tuesday it has officially banned gain-of-function research, claiming it has the potential to threaten lives and undermine national security if not properly restricted and controlled.

The State and Health and Human Services departments claim that although biomedical research has produced lifesaving vaccines and medical breakthroughs, it must never come at the expense of public safety or national security.

The policy change comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last year that banned federal funding for gain-of-function research in countries like China, which is believed to be at the heart of the COVID-19 lab leak in Wuhan.

The two departments said in a joint statement that an "America First approach to scientific research means ensuring that taxpayer dollars are never used to support dangerous gain-of-function research ... in the United States or abroad."

The new policy also prohibits federal support for gain-of-function research, strengthens oversight of other high-risk life sciences research, and restricts funding for research conducted in countries that lack appropriate safety, security, and oversight standards.

"Scientific leadership requires both innovation and responsibility," the departments said. "The United States will continue to support biomedical research that develops vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other lifesaving medical countermeasures while ensuring that the highest-risk research is subject to rigorous safeguards. 

"We encourage our international partners to join us in ending dangerous gain-of-function research and adopting strong biosafety and biosecurity standards that make the world safer, more secure, and better prepared for future biological threats," they added.

The policy was developed by top officials including Undersecretary of State Tom DiNanno and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.