China and (lack of) transparency

A leading Hong Kong virologist researching the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza told The Scientist this week that new regulations from China's Ministry of Agriculture will prevent him investigating the virus.

"They are trying to stop me, trying to stop my investigation," said Guan Yi, a University of Hong Kong researcher whose group published a paper in Nature today (6 Jul 2005) describing the latest sequence data isolated from dead geese near Qinghai Lake in western China.

[...] He says its work will be stymied by new rules concerning the collection, storage, and research of serum samples from dead birds. The rules, first announced on 31 May 2005, but published via the Internet on Tuesday [5 Jul 2005], imply that permission must be granted for scientists to collect and research H5N1 samples, and that isolates must be checked by the Ministry of Agriculture before further research can be conducted.

[...] "God help me," Guan said, sounding exasperated, "they are trying to close everyone's lab." He said he believes the new rules are an excuse for authorities to exert tighter control over the dissemination of lab results, and are not aimed at protecting the wider population from bird flu outbreaks that have dotted the country in recent months.

Read the full story at ProMedMail, where we also learn that Jia Youling, director general of the Veterinary Bureau of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, denies any cases of bird flu in Southern China since the beginning of the year. Effect Measure has more on those stories.