Korean scientist resigns over fake stem cell research

[Pig]

Korean scientist resigns over fake stem cell research

Associated Press

Friday December 23, 2005

 

 

South Korean stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-Suk. Photograph: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty

 

A scientist today issued an apology as he resigned from South Korea's top university after the school announced he had fabricated results in stem cell research that had raised hopes of new cures for hard-to-treat diseases.

A panel at the university, releasing initial findings of a investigation, accused Hwang Woo-Suk of damaging the scientific community with his deception, while the South Korean government threatened to pull its funding for his research.

 

"I sincerely apologise to the people for creating a shock and disappointment," Prof Hwang told reporters as he was leaving his office at Seoul National University, considered the country's top institution of higher learning.

 

"With an apologetic heart ... I step down as professor, " he said. It is Prof Hwang's second apology in as many months. In November he apologised for "ethical lapses" in his work after it emerged that female researchers in his laboratories had donated their own eggs for experiments.

But Prof Hwang still maintained that he had produced the technology to create patient-matched stem cells as he claimed to do in a May article in the journal Science.

 

"I emphasise that patient-specific stem cells belong to South Korea and you are going to see this," said the professor, a veterinarian.

 

Earlier today, a panel of experts at the university said Prof Hwang had faked results of at least nine of 11 stem cell lines he claimed to have created in the May paper - the first confirmation of allegations that have cast a shadow over all his purported breakthroughs in cloning and stem cell technology.

 

"This kind of error is a grave act that damages the foundation of science," the panel said.

 

The South Korean government, which had strongly supported Prof Hwang and designated him the country's first "top scientist," said today it was "miserable" over the reported results of the investigation and will start its own inquiry over ethics breaches.

 

Choi Seong-Sik, vice-minister of science and technology, said it is impossible to recover money already spent for Prof Hwang, a total US$39.9m (£22.95m) for research and facilities since 1998. But his ministry, which admitted errors in its handling of the professor's projects, will look at stopping other funding and withdrawing the "top scientist" designation.

 

The university panel said today it found that "the laboratory data for 11 stem cell lines that were reported in the 2005 paper were all data made using two stem cell lines in total".

 

To create fake DNA results purporting to show a match, Prof Hwang's team split cells from one patient into two test tubes for the analysis - rather than actually match cloned cells to a patient's original cells, the university said.

 

"Based on these facts, the data in the 2005 Science paper cannot be some error from a simple mistake, but can only be seen as a deliberate fabrication to make it look like 11 stem cell lines using results from just two," the panel said.

 

DNA tests expected to be completed within a few days should confirm if the remaining two stem cell lines were successfully cloned from a patient, added the panel, which will now investigate Prof Hwang's previous research.

 

Prosecutors said they would decide whether to investigate Prof Hwang after the university finishes its inquiries. The Seoul District Prosecutor's Office said Prof Hwang's fabrication itself is not subject to criminal charges, but indicated an investigation could be possible as upset citizens had filed complaints.

 

Last month, Prof Hwang resigned as head of the World Stem Cell Hub - an international project founded in October that had planned to open centres in Britain and the US - after admitting he used eggs from female workers at his lab in violation of ethics guidelines.

[Johnny B]

This was really sad moment !!

A discovery that could have served humanity into the future turned into a fabrication.

 

Yet worse is the effect it is gonna have on the hard-working scientists in this feild around the globe.

 

I personally hope a quick recovery for him and those who worked with him, obviously this was a work that costed alot of effort and dedication.

[Katrina]

How sad. As a scientist, all they have is their research integrity. How devestating this news must be to the stem cell community especially at a time when war has been declared stem cell research.

[Yoonis_Cadue]

We take Scientists for granted. What they say is often portrayed as divine revelation and that it is the truth but nothing the truth.

 

But often sadly it isn't. The other day I had an argument with someone who said that it isn't good for the health of girls to get married when they're 14 years of age because it would hinder and damage their physical development. But surely as long as a girl has her first menstrual cycle she can get married because why would she have it in the first place it clearly shows that she is ready and adult enough to conceive fertilisation.

 

So most of the time scientists talk nonsense. You shouldn't believe all the things they say.

[J.Lee]

^ Surely not! Ever heard of fistula?

 

Research that and physical development, and after you do so then come back and say [write]conceiving at such an age isn't dangerous or that it doesn't stun growth.

 

As a matter of fact, I dare you to; I beg of you.

 

P.S

 

True, when a girl begins her menstrual cycle it does signify [that she is] at that age able to beget children (ready for fertilization) laakiinse it's doesn't mean that she is developedenough to conceive. Keep mind, some girls start their cycle at the age of 9.

 

So most of the time scientists talk nonsense. You shouldn't believe all the things they say

 

Apparently, you should maandhow.

[Socod_badne]

Originally posted by Yoonis_Cadue:

So most of the time scientists talk nonsense.

What a patently false remark! It only bespeaks of bigotry on your part or woeful ignorance. If what you say above were true, how do you account for all the technological advancements of our age? No serious scientist worth his salt talks nonsense. Only you.

 

With regard to this story, I'm not surprised at all. Things like this have happened and surely will happen again in the future. But the great advantage science has over all other human enterprises is it has in place the mechanisms/tools for self-correction. In fact, it is the only purely human enterprise that corrects its own mistakes and that is why science is progressive. Evidence for this progress is seen in the proliferation and sophistication of technology.

 

Any unscrupulous scientist, for whatever personal reason, may claim dubious scientific discoveries/results. But it won't last the test of time, science will eventually uncover it. That is what scientists do everyday, they test and verify old theories.

[BonaFied_CriTic]

I really had hopes for the research - this may serve as an example the next time someone claims to have had found a cure - doing follow-ups wouldn't hurt b4 millions and billions of funds are deposited - this outcome wasn't only a waste of money but a waste of good hope for millions suffering from uncurable diseases -

[Castro]

What I am curious about is why there's near hysterical news coverage of this in the US and Europe. There's no excusing what the professor did. The cover up of the fabricated science is almost as bad as the fake science itself. No matter, this happens a lot as SB mentioned. The giant American pharmaceutical Merck is currently being sued for Vioxx, its billion dollar anti-inflammation drug. Apparently, the company decided to withhold, conveniently of course, damaging research that showed Vioxx has an unacceptable increase of risk of heart attacks. And though no one died of what professor Hwang was working on, yet, hundreds if not thousands have died prematurely of Vioxx. Again, the question is, beyond the embarassment, loss of funding and loss of prestigue for professor Hwang, does he even come close to clearly criminal acts such as those of Merck and others?

[Yoonis_Cadue]

What a patently false remark! It only bespeaks of bigotry on your part or woeful ignorance. If what you say above were true, how do you account for all the technological advancements of our age? No serious scientist worth his salt talks nonsense. Only you.

 

It that is true, how do you then explain Charles Darwin theory of evolution. A lie that is lasting almost hundred years. All scientists I spoke to believe in this irrational and comical view of evolution.

 

BTW do you really belief all the things scientists tell you. Do we really originate from apes. How come what is the evidence.

 

On the other hand you listed major scientific and technological break-throughs no-one is denying that but what Iam trying to say is that science nowadays has replaced religion.

 

A scientists claims something and people believe in it like it is a revelation from god. It is so easy to fabricate and manipulate scientific research. You're lied and fooled everytime without you even knowing what is going on. Big money and profit is at their heart and not human development or health. Those pharmaceutical companies claim to cure people illnesses but a lot of their "science" is really harmful. They also play god and put profit before human life and suffering.

[Johnny B]

Castro, couple of factors as to why the hysterical media reaction both in the States and Europe.

1: The results in stem cell research that had been published raised hopes of new cures for hard-to-treat diseases all over the globe.

 

2:Earlier under the assumption of the correctness o the claimed reaserch results, heavy criticism was directed towards it becouse of the donations made by some of the FEMALE researchers, to which he appologized in November.

 

Nonetheless, i think it is worth the media reaction.

 

I must admit , personally i´d high hopes on it.

[Castro]

^ In addition to those, I suspect, and this is my personal opinion, that non American or European scientists have an extra layer of credibility imposed on them. Whereas their counterparts in the west have instant credibility really. It may be race related too. Or it could all just be paranoia in my head.

 

I too was hoping the first reports of bad science were untrue. Alas, we're not at that stage yet with stem cell research.

[STOIC]

Junk Science exist nowdays everywhere.I think it is in the best interest of the scientific community for Dr Hwang to step down.He is not the first one to be embroiled in scientific blunder.Many scientist manipulate the data to get a favorable prestige in a ground breaking research.Only this year we have witnessed the food and drug adminstration approval of prescription drugs that never made through the phase 2 of the clinical study!How many times a year do you happen to be bombarded with an epidemiological datas in the news? I guess it will be more than once a week.My point here is that junk science will always be pushed down through our throat;we just have to be careful.

[Socod_badne]

Originally posted by Yoonis_Cadue:

All scientists I spoke to believe in this irrational and comical view of evalution.

 

You're lying! You didn't speak to professional 'scientists.'

 

BTW do you really belief all the things scientists tell you.

 

No, only those things evidence and tested predictions suupport.

 

Do we really originate from apes. How come what is the evidence.

 

We didn't originate from apes. There is no evidence for that.

 

what Iam trying to say is that science nowadays has replaced religion.

 

That is not true. Science was never intended to replace religion, politics, culture, tradition etc. It's sole purpose is to seek knowledge. That has been the case in the past and always will be. I don't know where you got the idea science wants to replace religion. Mind sharing?

 

A scientists claims something and people believe in it like it is a revelation from god.

 

That is not scientists fault then, is it? When scientists proclaim a discovery, they always have good evidence to back up.

 

They also play god by putting profit before human life and suffering.

What are you saying here? That God puts profit before human life? I don't even know what to make of it but please elaborate.

[Yoonis_Cadue]

Sorry my fault it was meant to say "They also play god and put profit before human life and suffering.

 

What I mean was that they give life-saving drugs to whomever they want. Sometimes they give it away for free and at other times they selled it 1000x of the price it was manufactured for.

 

Some may say it's their right after all they invented it but no-one can morally except that.

[Socod_badne]

Originally posted by Yoonis_Cadue:

Sorry my fault it was meant to say "They also play god and put profit before human life and suffering.

You're still saying the same thing. If they play like God and put profit before human life and suffering, then you're saying God does the same too.

 

I'm not sure what you're trying to say.