Chinese medical researchers are calling for a crackdown on foreign firms that collect Chinese blood samples for human genome research.
Experts from the Ministry of Public Health and the China Academy of Sciences accuse the overseas firms of theft by taking blood samples without giving reasons.
The foreign firms are stealing genome data about Chinese families with unique hereditary histories and information on Chinese minority groups. These companies are violating privacy and China's right to genome information, experts said.
As Chinese customs authorities control what kinds of biological products can be taken out of China, overseas research institutes have set up mainland offices to collect blood samples illegally, Professor Yang Huanming said. The professor runs China's Human Genome Project.
The Chinese Human Genome Project aims to map out the chemical sequence of three billion human genes to improve medical practices and biological research.
(Eastday 12/06/2000)
