EcoHealth Alliance (EHA) was a US-based non-governmental organization founded in 1971 with a mission to protect people, animals, and the environment from emerging infectious diseases. The organization focused on scientific research aimed at preventing pandemics and promoting conservation in hotspot regions worldwide. Originally named Wildlife Trust, it rebranded in 2010 to focus on studying infectious diseases. EcoHealth Alliance advised organizations such as the WHO on wildlife trade, disease threats, and environmental damage.
The organization's work involved studying diseases caused by deforestation and increased human-wildlife interaction. EHA conducted field studies on zoonotic pathogens, particularly bat coronaviruses. It collaborated with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China, researching coronavirus evolution and transmission in bats. This collaboration later drew scrutiny due to concerns about the origin of COVID-19. Allegations arose regarding gain-of-function research, which EHA leadership denied, though NIH officials confirmed such research occurred under its grants at the Wuhan lab.
EHA's funding came primarily from U.S. federal agencies, including the NIH, Department of Defense, and USAID. However, in May 2024, the United States Department of Health and Human Services banned all federal funding for the EcoHealth Alliance. Furthermore, HHS formally debarred EcoHealth Alliance and its former President, Peter Daszak, for five years. Effective January 6, 2025, Daszak was terminated. As of April 2025, EcoHealth Alliance has ceased operations in favor of another non-profit initiative called "Nature. Health. Global", also led by Daszak.
