{"id":2288476,"date":"2024-07-03T09:10:02","date_gmt":"2024-07-03T13:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fact-check-instagram-post-makes-false-claim-about-gates-foundation-h5n1-bird-flu\/"},"modified":"2024-07-03T09:15:14","modified_gmt":"2024-07-03T13:15:14","slug":"fact-check-instagram-post-makes-false-claim-about-gates-foundation-h5n1-bird-flu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fact-check-instagram-post-makes-false-claim-about-gates-foundation-h5n1-bird-flu\/","title":{"rendered":"FACT CHECK: Instagram Post Makes False Claim About Gates Foundation, H5N1 Bird Flu"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffact-check-instagram-post-makes-false-claim-about-gates-foundation-h5n1-bird-flu%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2288476&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The post shared on Facebook claiming that the Bill and\u2064 Melinda Gates Foundation awarded $9.5 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to make the H5N1 bird flu transmissible to humans is false. The claim originated \u2064from \u200ba discredited website known for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mcconnell-to-tip-scales-in-primaries-to-ensure-gop-wins-senate-what-i-care-about-is-electability\/\" title=\"McConnell To Tip Scales In Primaries To Ensure GOP Wins Senate: \u2018What I Care About Is Electability\u2019\">promoting conspiracy theories<\/a> and misinformation. In reality, the foundation provided funding\u2062 to Moderna\u2064 for developing mRNA vaccines against a potential bird flu pandemic. The University of\u2063 Wisconsin-Madison received a grant from the foundation in 2009 to identify virus mutations for early \u2062warning of potential pandemic influenza viruses,\u200b not to make the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michael-barone-three-big-surprises-of-2022-weakened-russia-weakened-china-weakened-american-economy\/\" title=\"Michael Barone: Three Big Surprises of 2022: Weakened Russia, Weakened China, Weakened American Economy\">virus transmissible<\/a> to humans.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"ob-read-more-selector\">\n<p>A post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C8Wr8bkOici\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">shared on Facebook<\/a> claims the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation purportedly awarded $9.5 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to make the H5N1 bird flu transmissible to humans.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C8Wr8bkOici\/?utm_source=ig_embed&#038;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<p><span><strong>Verdict: False<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The claim is false and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fact-check-no-obama-did-not-pose-in-front-of-satanic-artwork\/\" title=\"FACT CHECK: No, Obama Did Not Pose In Front Of Satanic Artwork\">originally stems<\/a> from a June 17 article published on \u201cNatural News,\u201d a website that is known for promoting \u201cdisinformation.\u201d A spokesperson for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation denied the claim\u2019s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Fact Check:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Pharmaceutical company Moderna recently announced it\u2019d received $176 million in federal funding to \u201cdevelop mRNA vaccines against a potential bird flu pandemic,\u201d according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/roberthart\/2024\/07\/02\/moderna-scores-federal-funding-for-mrna-bird-flu-vaccine-as-pandemic-fears-grow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Forbes<\/a>. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided the funding to \u201chelp pay for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/covid-19-rsv-and-flu-may-place-significant-strain-on-health-system-cdc\/\" title=\"COVID-19, RSV, and Flu could overwhelm healthcare: CDC.\">late-stage clinical trials<\/a> that will start in 2025,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2024-07-02\/moderna-inks-176m-deal-to-make-bird-flu-vaccine-as-h5n1-fears-grow?srnd=all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bloomberg<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n<p>The Instagram video, which has received over 200 likes as of writing, claims the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation purportedly awarded $9.5 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to make the H5N1 bird flu transmissible to humans. The video features a June 17 headline that accuses the foundation of engaging in \u201cbioterrorism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The claim is false, however. The headline originally stems from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturalnews.com\/2024-06-17-gates-foundation-uw-madison-h5n1-transmissible-humans.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 17 article<\/a> published on the website, \u201cNatural News.\u201d According to <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Natural_News#cite_note-:1-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wikipedia<\/a>, the website, previously known as \u201cNewsTarget,\u201d is \u201ca far-right, anti-vaccination conspiracy theory and fake news website known for promoting alternative medicine, pseudoscience, disinformation, and far-right extremism.\u201d In addition, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.isdglobal.org\/isd-publications\/investigating-natural-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Institute for Strategic Dialogue<\/a> published a report in June 2020 investigating the site for promoting \u201cdisinformation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, a <a href=\"https:\/\/news.wisc.edu\/uw-madison-receives-9-5-million-gates-foundation-grant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2009 press release<\/a> from the University of Wisconsin-Madison indicates the institution received a $9.5 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to \u201cidentify virus mutations that would serve as early warnings of potential pandemic influenza viruses.\u201d Virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka, the project lead, and his team were set to \u201clook for mutations in viral proteins that allow avian influenza viruses to bind to human receptors or facilitate efficient replication in human cells\u201d over the course of five years, according to the same release.<\/p>\n<p>The release also noted that avian viruses \u201cdon\u2019t generally infect human or other mammalian hosts. But every once in a while, a mutation occurs that allows avian viruses to adapt to human cells,\u201d thus prompting a pandemic. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/checkyourfact.com\/2024\/07\/02\/fact-check-bragg-arrested-satire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: Claim That Alvin Bragg Was Arrested Is Satire)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Check Your Fact found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?sca_esv=bb6fb22019ea88f6&#038;sca_upv=1&#038;q=BIOTERRORISM:+Gates+Foundation+awarded+%249.5+million+to+UW-Madison+to+make+H5N1+bird+flu+transmissible+to+humans&#038;tbm=nws&#038;source=lnms&#038;fbs=AEQNm0B0_gh8CxXz4cskeePLV_Uw5cg9cpOenTbX4UBVI-nT7ONL70YZ8KWGZB_kmiqGqSd_cQVEWj7120g7Dte6SxTdsanDIGMg67ucqYUqD7LMcKnCo8fRs9gb6XQv-0qaRH3k24NlbzsBw-F_YZJNoXBJ2CJLQ_5ofEHw_iYLX1O6Vmj59e_GuqycZ_JK9NmDF_dZG5fhtvi5uOUHkJ3DPwBAjGWVAw&#038;sa=X&#038;ved=2ahUKEwjoiIirwIiHAxVRFFkFHUu6CYgQ0pQJegQIDBAB&#038;biw=1680&#038;bih=871&#038;dpr=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">no credible news reports<\/a> to support the claim made via the Instagram video. In fact, the opposite is true. On June 28, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2024\/jun\/28\/instagram-posts\/no-the-gates-foundation-didnt-fund-research-to-mak\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PolitiFact<\/a> reported the claim was false. The claim also does not appear on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gatesfoundation.org\/ideas\/media-center\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation denied the claim\u2019s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis claim is false,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n<p>Check Your Fact has also contacted the University of Wisconsin-Madison for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Facebook post falsely claims that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded $9.5 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to make the H5N1 bird flu transmissible to humans. This claim originated from a discredited website known for promoting conspiracy theories and misinformation. In reality, the grant was given to the university to study virus mutations as early warnings of potential pandemic influenza viruses. The claim has been debunked by fact-checkers and the foundation itself has denied its validity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":263,"featured_media":2288477,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-2151909041-e1719927204847.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[13420,32633,33760,33761,7884],"class_list":["post-2288476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-fact-check","tag-false-claim","tag-gates-foundation","tag-h5n1-bird-flu","tag-instagram"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-2151909041-e1719927204847.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2288476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/263"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2288476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2288476\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2288477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2288476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2288476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2288476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}