GeneWatch UK today accused the Government of pushing ahead with plans for the controversial £60 million genetic research project, Biobank UK, without a proper independent review of the science, value-for-money or
necessary safeguards for the public. A decision on the project is expected later this month, by review panels at the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust, who will consider the scientific protocol and peer reviewers' comments. GeneWatch wants a scientific review of the project by a body other than the MRC, Wellcome and the Government.
"Fundamental questions have been widely raised about the scientific validity and purpose of the biobank," said Dr Helen Wallace of Genewatch.
"Scientific peer review of the MRC's pet project should not be an inside job. Peer reviewers for such a controversial project should not be chosen solely by those advocating it. Nor should their comments be considered secretly behind closed doors." GeneWatch is also calling for the matter to be debated in the House of Commons.
GeneWatch UK is concerned about both the scientific validity of the project
and the lack of safeguards to protect the public from the misuse of genetic
information, and has twice called for the project to be shelved whilst these
issues are resolved.
It claims the proposed research has been criticised by many scientists as poorly designed and based on simplistic assumptions. GeneWatch UK believes that the proposed scientific protocol is hopelessly inadequate and could lead to spurious links being identified between genes and diseases.
Although the Government has promised to address concerns, the necessary legal safeguards have not, in Genewatch’s view, been put in place to protect the public from future misuse of genetic information, and the study design has not been
reconsidered in the light of serious scientific criticisms.
The Wellcome Trust is holding a consultation workshop on the ethics of BioBank UK on 25 April.
www.genewatch.org
www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/1/biovenpop.html

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