Stem Cell Scandal: A Case Study

While the majority of researchers who study stem cells do so ethically and honestly, there are unfortunate cases of fraud in the industry. Such has been the case for a South Korean scientist named Hwang who claimed enormous breakthroughs in stem cell research. The reality, however, is that his claims were false and it was not until last year that he was convicted.

First Cloned Embryos

The case began years ago in 2004 when Hwang and other researchers at Seoul National University had a paper published in a prominent science journal. They stated that they had made the first cloned human embryo and had been able to remove stem cells from the embryo. As expected, their claims generated a great deal of excitement and interest.

In the following year, Hwang and his team of researchers also cited in the journal that they had made human embryonic stem cells that were a perfect genetic match to individual patients. For many people, this was exciting news because it meant that the patient would not experience immunological rejection of the stem cells.

The Investigation Begins

What happened next was that a number of questions about Hwang's claims were raised. At that time, an investigation began to confirm the authenticity of Hwang's findings. The result of the investigation was that the committee found Hwang and his team had provided false data. The journal that had published both of the papers ultimately retracted them after the committee made its conclusions on the investigation.

Charges of Fraud and Illegal Egg Purchasing

The government in South Korea told Hwang that he could not perform any stem cell research again. Soon after, he was formally charged with fraud for having taken millions in private donations for research. He faced a number of other accusations as well, including the purchase of human eggs for research, which violates the laws in South Korea.

Faked Data in Stem Cell Research

Although Hwang did finally admit that the data was false and he had faked it, he also claimed that another scientist had 'fooled' him in the process. After a trial lasting approximately three years, the verdict was that the primary fraud charge against Hwang was removed. The judge cited that it was not believable that Hwang would have tried to trick a donor simply for funding and with no intention to use it for research purposes.

A Remorseful Researcher

Hwang was, however, convicted of embezzlement with regards to research funding and he was also convicted of the illegal purchase of human eggs. Although prosecutors wanted him to receive a prison sentence, Hwang's remorse for the incident meant that the judge gave him a suspended sentence instead.

Ethical and Responsible Researchers

Although he will not be spending any time in prison, his story is hopefully a lesson to those who try to make false claims and embezzle money for faulty research. Fortunately, the vast majority of scientists in the field of stem cell research are ones who care about what they do and their work is performed admirably.