Chinese firm BGI had reportedly developed and improved a prenatal screening check bought in not less than 52 international locations in collaboration with People’s Liberation Army hospitals
A European Union-funded project to construct a genomic map of Poland plans to drop gene-sequencing know-how from China’s BGI Group over concerns about data security, one of many project’s leaders informed Reuters.
The Genomic Map of Poland’s concerns stem from questions over how Polish genomic data could also be used that relate to nationwide security, mentioned Marek Figlerowicz, a Professor on the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry on the Polish Academy of Sciences who steers the project.
Mr. Figlerowicz mentioned the concerns had been initially raised by a report earlier this 12 months from the U.S. National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) which mentioned BGI could also be serving as a “global collection mechanism for Chinese government genetic databases.”
BGI informed Reuters in response that the U.S. report was “disinformation, not borne out by the facts;” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has known as it “groundless accusations and smears.”
An NSCAI spokesperson mentioned it stood by its report, and has really useful the United States and allies double-down on strategies to higher defend affected person privateness. Since 2015, Beijing has restricted overseas researchers from accessing gene data on Chinese folks.
In August, a human genetics committee on the Polish Academy of Sciences mentioned a “lack of compliance” by what it known as “Far East companies” with the ideas of genetic testing ethics raised severe doubts. It didn’t identify any corporations or international locations however urged labs and scientific establishments that sequence genetic materials overseas to cease utilizing biotechnology corporations there.
It mentioned about 100,000 full Polish genomes might already be in “Far Eastern” laboratories, citing a tough estimate which Reuters couldn’t confirm. Poland has no management over thatsensitive private data, the committee mentioned.
Mr. Figlerowicz mentioned the Genomic Map, which is anticipated to value over 100 million zlotys ($25.35 million) and is about midway by way of its programme of sequencing 5,000 Polish genomes, has outsourced the work to a 3rd get together since 2019.
That firm, Bialystok-based Central Europe Genomics Center sp. z o.o. (CEGC), began utilizing BGI’s know-how final 12 months. Mr. Figlerowicz mentioned the Genomic Map of Poland had determined not to ship any genetic data in a foreign country and is probably going to cancel the contract it has with CEGC. He added that the ultimate choice, nonetheless to be authorized by the funding establishments, is anticipated throughout the subsequent week or two.
As the know-how to sequence genetic data has superior and turn out to be cheaper, Mr. Figlerowicz mentioned, the mapping project plans to convey the remaining sequencing in-house. The project needs to guarantee Poland has genomic “independence” so it might guarantee data security.
CEGC didn’t reply to requests for remark. Poznan-based biotech firm Inno-Gene S.A., which holds a minority stake in CEGC, mentioned it didn’t know of a potential cancellation.
The European Union, which supplied about 65% of the full funding for the Genomic Map, didn’t reply to a request for remark. Neither did Poland’s Ministry of Education and National Information Processing Institute, additionally concerned with funding the project. Poland’s particular companies declined to remark.
National security
Reuters reported in July that BGI had developed and improved a prenatal screening check bought in not less than 52 international locations in collaboration with People’s Liberation Army hospitals.
The privateness coverage on the check’s web site says data collected might be shared when it’s “directly relevant to national security or national defence security” in China, though BGI says it hasn’t been requested to do this. BGI makes use of the pregnant girls’s genetic data for analysis into the traits of populations. It additionally collaborates with the PLA in different areas of analysis.
BGI rejects any suggestion that it developed the check, branded NIFTY, in collaboration with the navy, and says working with navy hospitals shouldn’t be equal.
“BGI takes all aspects of data protection, privacy and ethics extremely seriously,” the corporate mentioned in a press release on the Polish choice, including it complies with all relevant data safety legal guidelines and rules.
“We value the business and research relationships we have with all our partners and customers in Poland and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with them.”
