EcoHealth Alliance Statement Regarding PREDICT Expenditures and the Global Virome Project

During the 10 years of the PREDICT project, EcoHealth Alliance strictly followed USAID and Federal rules in booking travel for the dozens of staff involved. We followed ‘Fly America’ rules, and business class travel was only allowed for staff with medical conditions supported by a valid medical doctor’s note. All of this was backed up by extensive documentation that was filed with, and approved by, USAID. All travel, including to meetings related to the Global Virome Project and at the Headquarters of the World Organization for Animal Health and other intergovernmental agencies in Paris, were part of core PREDICT work, and were approved by our prime contractor and by USAID.

Claims that the Global Virome Project was a private endeavor are completely false – analyses of data and planning meetings for the Global Virome Project were central to PREDICT work, were overseen closely by USAID staff, and all expenditures were approved by the prime contractor and USAID. No federal funding was used for Global Virome Project work without prior approval, or after the end of the PREDICT project.

Press contact: communications@ecohealthalliance.org