Chinese Gene Lab Denies Data Leak of 140,000 Pregnant Chinese Women
Duan Qianqian
DATE:  Oct 31 2018
/ SOURCE:  Yicai
Chinese Gene Lab Denies Data Leak of 140,000 Pregnant Chinese Women Chinese Gene Lab Denies Data Leak of 140,000 Pregnant Chinese Women

(Yicai Global) Oct. 30 -- The Beijing Genomics Institute has denied any wrongdoing related to its collection of samples from over 100,000 pregnant women. 

There is no leak of data related to these genetic resources that are stored in the China National GeneBank in Shenzhen, the genome sequencing center said in a reply letter yesterday to an inquiry from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. 

The Shenzhen-based center said on Oct. 10 it has collected the large quantity of samples for its Big Data Research on Genes from Millions of People, which caused public concern over these women's privacy. Participants gave their consent to take part in the study, the lab added. 

The BGI has been involved in a data dispute before in 2015, when it conducted a study with its partners Huashan Hospital and the University of Oxford regarding Chinese females who were treated for major depression. The center leaked their personal information online without consent. After stopping the study, BGI destroyed all the data. 

Once rectified, the BGI obtained an approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology to start international cooperation regarding Chinese genetics testing again. 

Editor: Emmi Laine 

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Keywords:   Gene,Data,Genetic Resource,Science,Privacy,Astra Zeneca,Biology,GigaScience