Draft for Comment The Stem Cell Fraud and the Netizens A Case Study An important struggle developed developed in South Korea in Fall 2005 while I was working on a paper about Korean netizens. The struggle helps to demonstrate both the role of the netizen and the role of the online media in modern Korean life and the struggle for a more democratic society. A research laboratory at Seoul National University directed by veterinary scientist Hwang Woo Suk published what were considered forefront research papers in the field of stem-cell research. His papers documented a technique for cloning stem cells, to produce patient specific cells to treat certain diseases, like Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and injuries like spinal column injuries. Hwang's resesearch was seen as promising for therapeutic treatment. He was treated as a national hero. He received substantial government funding and acclaim from the government of Roh Moo-hyun. Private commercial entities like Posco, South Korea's largest steel corporation and Korean Airlines supported his work. (1) The stocks of the biotechnology industry were affected by the progress of Hwang's research. (2) A well known American scientist, Gerald Schatten, a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh in the US, and a well known reproductive biologist is listed as the senior author of Hwang's May 2005 paper. The paper, published in the prestigious scientific journal "Science" documented the production of 11 strands of patient specific stem cells through cloning. Questions about possible ethical violations in Hwang's research were raised in an article in "Nature" after reporters for Nature visited Hwang's laboratory and learned that some of the ova that were used in his research may have come from donations from women who worked as part of his research team. This is contrary to ethical guidelines which mandate that donations be voluntary. If a woman is in a subordinate position in a research project, her donation may be induced under pressure from her job. Based on information from a former research colleague of Hwang's, a TV documentary by PD Notebook, an investigative news program of Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) was produced in the Fall of 2005. The documentary raised a number of ethical questions about the ova used in Hwang's research. The tv program promised a follow up documentary that would raise further questions about possible fraud in the professor's research. What followed, however, was a flurry of corporate and govern ment support for Professor Hwang. This included mainstream media like Chosun Ilbo, government officials who formed an unofficial group called "Hwang-kum-pak-chui" ('golden bat') to support Hwang. (3) Supporters of Hwang created an online web site "We Love Hwang" to plan their defense of him. The web site of the tv program was filled with posts challenging the the critique of Hwang's research. Claims were made that the tv interviewers threatened researchers they were interviewing. A campaign was started to induce the advertisers of PD Notebook to withdraw their support for the program. The followup program was cancelled. Some of the online media like OhmyNews and Pressian (another online newspaper) carried stories challenging the attack on the tv program. OhmyNews, an online newspaper, printed an article that compared the attacks on PD Notebook and others who were raising questions about Hwang's work to activities that took place in Nazi Germany. A group of Civil Society groups defended the importance of investigating the ethical issues. (footnote) At first Professor Hwang denied any ethical breaches in his research. But after the first tv program he acknowledged that ova had been donated by two of the researchers in his lab. The Helsinki Declaration is considered to set the ethical standards for scientific research. It outlines the conditions under which ova can be donated. Among the criteria are that there be informed consent by the donors. It also requires that no force be involved, and that the donation be voluntary. While a law governing such donations only went into effect in Korea in January 2005, language in the May 2005 paper published by 'Science' included language claiming that the Helsinki standard was adhered to. An editorial in Chosun Ilbo attacked OhmyNews and Pressian for the questions they raised about Prof. Hwang's research, demonstrating the furor that was unleashed on anyone challenging the ethics or honesty of Hwang's research. Similarly, the government promised to continue support for Hwang's research. Hwang's supporters claimed that the beneficial potential of his research, the promise that it could provide a cure for serious medical problems, was more important than possible ethical violations. Also the portals claimed that most of those online supported Hwang. The fact that a prestigious scientific journal like 'Science' had published Hwang's research papers presented as proof that the scientific community had verified his research. Online, however, there was continuing discussion of the controversy over his research. The problems were discussed. Along with the online consideration of ethical problems with his research, the photos and other evidence he submitted to Science to support his May 2005 article were examined. At web sites for scientists like BRIC, scieng, and the Science Gallery of DC Inside, serious discussions went on about the articles. At the BRIC web site, the website of the Biological Research Information Center (http://gene.postech.or.kr/bbs/), an anonyomous post explained how the photos appeared to be fabrications. Others at the scientific web sites discussed problems they observed in the data to support the claims of the articles. Earlier posts on web sites raised suspicions that pictures on the Science web site presenting the data evidence for the Hwang's articles did not support the claims in his article. Instead it appeared that photos 5,6 & 8 and 3,4,7,8 and 11 were from the same stem cells, not 11 different stem cells as the article claimed. Also members of the Association of Koreen Scientists and Engineers (www.scieng.net), the Biological Research Information Center (BRIC). and the Science Gallery of DC Inside posted messages in the various web sites saying the stem cell in picture No 5 accompanying Hwang's article in Science and the picture No 1 in an article by researchers from the MizMedi Hospital, which was submitted to the US "Journal of Biology of Reproduction" were virtually the same. MitiMedi Hospital is a fertility clinic in Seoul that collaborated with Hwang on his research. Co-authors of this article were Roh Sung-il, the hospital's head, Chun Sung-hye o Seoul National University, and Kim Sun-jong, who had worked at the hospital with Roh. Seeing the discussion about the duplication of photos in the two articles, Chun posted a message on the DC Inside and BRIC websites where he said "the mistake was due to confusion of the folders where the pictures had been saved." (4) The article was subsequently withdrawn from the journal to correct the photos. Discussing whether Koreans should feel upset over this exposure of fraudulent activities by a top scientist, some posters argue that 'No". They were proud that young scientists on the online scientific web sites, Korean netizens, had taken up the challenge to publicly air their suspicions about the integrity of the data in Hwang's paper. These netizens were willing to challenge the government, the press, the sscientific hierarchy in Korea, and even a scientific journal with an international reputation. The fact that the U.S. journal 'Science' could publish fraudulent articles shows the need for serious discussion about their peer review process and the need to have a community which will raise questions when needed about the scientfic papers and and research they publish. In response to the online explanation of the problems in Hwang's articles, professors at his university, Seoul National University (SNU), petitioned that there be an investigation into his research. A panel was formed. After investigating Hwang's work and examining whatever notes and records they could find, the panel declared that that there was no clonings of stem cells, i.e. no patient specific stem cells had been produced by Hwan'ts laboratory. This set of events demonstrates the power of the online media that is developing in Korea. The online sites of scientific reserachers like BRIC, scieng, and Science Gallery of DC Inside, were able to stand up against the full fury of attacks from the establishment in South Korea. They were supported by others in the online community, by those on discussion forums and blogs, and by online media like OhmyNews, and Pressian. This is a support for democracy. One blogger wrote that the hierarchy within scientific laboratories in Korea makes it difficult for young researchers to speak up and to fight abuse. The fact that the problems could be pinpointed and then treated seriously despite the critical set of attacks on those raising these issues is a signficant step for Korean democracy. Notes (1)Yoon Chang-hee, "Stem cell controversy being felt by sponsors", Joongang Ilbo, December 16, 2005) http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200512/16/200512162202553239900090509051.html Another major supporter is the chairman of Dongwon Group (Kim Jae-chul) "Dongwon F&B Co. was one of the first companies to cancel its television commercial spot from Munhwa Broadcasting Corp.'s Newsdesk, a nightly news program that reported on doubts about Dr. Hwang's work." 2) biotech companies hurt financially 2005 Top 10 News December 29, 2005 . Hwang woo-suk http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200512/28/200512282211430709900090409041.html 3) from 'Hwang Woo-Suk: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hwang_Woo-Suk Ties with Park Ki-young, Science and Techonolgy Advisor for the President, "yielded a favorable environment for Hwang in the government, as a non-official group consisting of high-ranking government officials was created to support Hwang's research that includes not only Hwang and Park, but also Kim Byung-joon, Chief National Policy Secretary, and Jin Dae-jae, Information and Communications minister. The group was dubbed as 'Hwang-kum-pak-chui,' a loose acronym made from each member's family names which means "golden bat" in Korean." (4) Fresh Mixup Casts Doubt on Cloning Pioneer.s Research Chosun Ilbo (english), December 15, 2005. http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200512/200512150008.html