The National Institute of Health is investigating 180 cases involving possible theft of medical research by scientists and researchers working -- knowingly or not -- for the benefit of China, according to a report from The New York Times.
If the NIH investigations borne out, they will be turned over to government agencies such as the Department of Justice, for possible prosecution.
The NYTimes report published Tuesday (Nov. 4), repeats some of the individual cases that online news agencies, including Views From the Edge and other Asian American bloggers, have been reporting for the last few years.
“You could take a dart board with medical colleges with significant research programs and, as far as I can tell, you’d have a 50-50 chance of hitting a school with an active case,” Dr. Ross McKinney Jr., chief scientific officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges, told the NYTimes.
“You could take a dart board with medical colleges with significant research programs and, as far as I can tell, you’d have a 50-50 chance of hitting a school with an active case,” Dr. Ross McKinney Jr., chief scientific officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges, told the NYTimes.
The N.I.H. and the F.B.I. have begun a huge investigation to identify out scientists who they say are stealing biomedical research for other countries from institutions across the United States. Almost all of the incidents they uncovered and that are under investigation involve scientists of Chinese descent, including naturalized American citizens, allegedly stealing for China, reports the NYTimes.
The effort is fanning fears among the Asian American community that the aggressive government-led effort in the current tense environment over trade issues could lead to racial profiling and could be just another bargaining chip in the geopolitical wrangling between the Trump administration and the Peoples Republic of China.
“We can’t tell who is guilty or innocent, but look at the actual effect on people of Chinese descent,” said Frank Wu, a law professor at the University of California Hastings School of the Law and former president of the Committee of 100, an organization of Chinese Americans scientists, researchers and innovators in private industry as well as academic institutions. “People are living in fear. It is a question of impact rather than intent.”
“I am getting calls and emails constantly now from ethnic Chinese — even those who are U.S. citizens — who feel threatened,” he said. But few are willing to step forward with allegations of discrimination, Wu told the NYTimes.
"The US-China relationship is the world's most consequential bi-lateral relationship. We must be concerned about security concerns and condemn illegal activity, but in recent years there have been many cases of wrongful prosecution," said Chinese American Gary Locke, former US Ambassador to China and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
"Our pride in our heritage does not mean we are any less loyal or patriotic to America," Locke added.
READ the entire New York Times report here.
_________________________________________________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment