School of Public Health Dean Warns Researcher

The dean of Harvard’s School of Public Health (SPH) recently reprimanded a professor at the school for efforts to silence media investigations of his research.

Xu Xiping, associate professor of occupational epidemiology at SPH, was the subject of a lengthy investigative report in the Washington Post last December. The story accused Xu of possibly unethical practices in his field work in China as part of a genetics research project.

According to two articles written by the Post this summer, as a result of this critical story and a similar story which later appeared in a Chinese news magazine, Xu sent two letters to Chinese government officials urging them to ban or censor further reporting about genetic research in China.

According to the Post, he also wrote a letter to a top Chinese scientist accusing the Post—which he called a newspaper “which has long been manipulated by anti-China forces”—of attempting to “stir up trouble in China.”

In response to these reports, SPH Dean Barry R. Bloom informed Xu in a letter earlier this summer that his actions in attempting to silence the media were highly inappropriate and could lead to punishment by the University.

“I must officially disassociate myself and the School from any actions you have taken to attempt to interfere in any way with, or seek reprisals against, anyone who has taken legitimate steps to raise issues about your research in China,” wrote Bloom according to a copy of the letter dated June 26 obtained by the Post.

SPH spokesperson Kevin Myron confirmed that Bloom did send a letter to Xu, but would not publicly release its content. However, he did not dispute the text printed by the Post.

“The letter stands on its own,” Myron said. “The School of Public Health has no further comment.”

Bloom reportedly warned Xu in the letter that he would “not receive the continued support of the School for you or your research if you persist in exercising independent action” and that his continued efforts to silence critics would lead to “appropriate sanctions.”

In his research, which was chiefly sponsored by Harvard and Cambridge-based Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Xu took blood samples from thousands of poor peasants and farmers in Anhui province of rural central China.

The Post article alleges that Xu did not inform the donors of his purpose in taking the blood—a violation of the regulations of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—and that he did not provide medical treatment that he had promised in exchange for the donations.

Part of the project was funded from federal research monies, meaning that the research was required to follow federal regulations.

The Post reported that the blood was taken in order to create a genetic databank for further scientific use.

Genetic material is particularly valuable from residents of Anhui because of its very isolated nature, which creates a unusually homogenous gene pool.

William Hall, a spokesperson for the human research office in the federal department of Health and Human Services, confirmed a federal investigation of Xu’s research is underway. However, he would not provide any further details.

According to its spokesperson, SPH is not investigating Xu’s research. However, the spokesperson said that SPH reviews all of its professors’ research.

“We keep on top of all of our researchers,” Myron said.

According to the Post, the Chinese government also conducted a review of Xu’s practices. Reportedly, this review found that Xu made no violations of Chinese regulations.

—Staff writer David H. Gellis can be reached at gellis@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Daniel P. Mosteller can be reached at dmostell@fas.harvard.edu.