It followed a lengthy investigation of allegations that DNA samples collected, including from Tibet and Xinjiang, could not have been free or fair given the circumstances in which they occurred. The articles were published in Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine (MGGM), a genetics journal published by the US academic publishing company Wiley. The papers by different scientists are all based on research that draws on DNA samples collected from populations in the greater China territory of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). One retracted paper has studied the DNA of Tibetans in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, using blood samples collected from 120 individuals. The sudden pivot towards publishing forensic genetics research from China came as other forensic genetics journals started facing more scrutiny for publishing research based on DNA samples from vulnerable minorities in the PRC.

Source: The Guardian February 18, 2024 12:53 UTC