DNA samples of Tibetans, Uyghurs and Kazakhs human subjects collected non-consensually
Jan 27, 2022
Beijing [China], January 27 : A science journal Human Genetics has taken down a research paper written by Chinese authors among others, as the consent of the Tibetans, Uyghurs and Kazakhs human subjects during the research process was ignored, said the journal website.
According to the journal, the authors of the original submission said that the appropriate consent was taken by the study participants, however, it has not yet been verified, reported Phayul.
The study was finally taken down, splitting its Chinese and German authors, with some agreeing to the retraction and others opposing it.
Their retraction note dated December 11, followed by thorough investigation, remarked that "upon original submission, the authors had informed the journal that informed consent had been obtained from all study participants . . . It has not been able to fully verify whether appropriate informed consent was obtained from all study participants in this article.".
A UK solicitor named Samuel Pitchford revealed in the Human Rights Pulse that the research paper failed to hold up evidence mandated by the Declaration of Helsinki, adopted by the World Medical Association, reported Phayul.
Notably, the declaration requires physicians to "protect the life, health, privacy, and dignity of the human subject".
Another organ harvesting research also detected ethical lapses by the Chinese community. This research failed to account for a "substantial number" of prisoners of conscience in China who were killed for their organs.
Additionally, DNA databases are subject to "potential misuse for government surveillance, including identification of relatives and non-paternity, and the risk of miscarriages of justice.", noted the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy.
The victims of the Uyghur genocide said that the Chinese government hold over the identities of those who could resist the re-education campaigns run by the authorities.
Several rights organizations have also raised similar questions on Chinese surveillance.
Another 2017 paper analyzed 37,994 DNA samples for Y chromosome variation across ethnic groups in China.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) also reported that Chinese police had begun collecting DNA samples from ordinary Uyghurs to conduct mass surveillance.
HRW China Director Sophie Richardson said, "Mass DNA collection by the powerful Chinese police absent effective privacy protections or an independent judicial system is a perfect storm for abuses. China is moving its Orwellian system to the genetic level.", reported Phayul.
