Stanford Pandemic Policy Panel Four: COVID-19 Origins and the Regulation of Virology

The stakes in the debate about the origin of the pandemic could not be higher. If the pandemic started from an inadequately regulated wildlife trade or zoonoses, reforms to reduce the likelihood of human contact with wild species is vital. On the other hand, if the pandemic started due to dangerous laboratory experiments and inadequate protocols to prevent leaks, then more stringent regulation of such experimentation is warranted. What is the evidence on these topics, and what is the path forward?

From left to right: Sunetra Gupta, Laura H. Kahn, Bryce Nickels, Simon Wain-Hobson, Alex Washburne; moderator Jan Jekielek