Cloning pioneer apologises over ethics lapses

South Korean cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-suk publicly apologised today for ethics lapses, admitting two female scientists in his lab donated their own eggs for research.

This is a major a setback for the work that has raised worldwide hopes it could help find cures for untreatable diseases.

“I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible,” Hwang said, appearing downcast and solemn before a news conference.

“I should be here reporting the successful results of our research, but I’m sorry instead to have to apologise.”

Hwang also said he would resign as head of the World Stem Cell Hub “to atone to the public.”

The hub, launched last month in Seoul along with international researchers, aims to be a centre seeking treatments for now-incurable diseases and had announced plans to open cloning centres in San Francisco and London.

A trained veterinarian, Hwang is a national hero in South Korea and has gained international renown for his breakthroughs, including cloning the world’s first human embryos and extracting stem cells from them. Earlier this year, he unveiled the world’s first cloned dog.

“Ethics and science are the two wheels that drive the civilisation of mankind,” Hwang said.

“Scientific research should be conducted within the boundaries of ethics, but in reality, there were some cases in which the ethics regulations backing (quickly developing) science had not been in place.”

Under commonly observed international guidelines, scientists are advised to be cautious when using human subjects for research who are in a dependent relationship with them – a precaution against exploitation.

Hwang said he and one of the scientists who gave her eggs were previously unaware of the guideline.

“I have learned a painful lesson that I should conduct research in a calm and cautious manner by living up to a global standard,” he said.

Hwang’s apology came after the Health Ministry said earlier today that an ethics investigation at the university found the two junior scientists gave their own eggs for research. However, the ministry said the donations weren’t in violation of ethics guidelines because they were made voluntarily.

Hwang said he would continue his research at Seoul National University.

“I would like to quit my research ... but to return the favours of the public support and those suffering incurable diseases, I will walk the path of a pure scientist,” he said. “Our team will keep on improving the technology that we have achieved, and hope South Korea will without any embarrassment stand again as the leader of this field.”

Hwang had conducted his own internal investigation into the allegations that have placed his groundbreaking work under a cloud of controversy and led US researchers to withdraw collaboration with the South Korean scientist.

“The responsibility for all disputes and controversy lies on me,” Hwang said Thursday. “I will not make any excuse.”

The allegations that Hwang’s junior researchers had donated eggs for Hwang’s research were first made last year in the scientific journal Nature.

Hwang said a reporter from Nature had asked him about a scientist’s eggs in May 2004, the first time it was brought to his attention. He asked the scientist about it and she admitted it, but Hwang said he publicly denied the report because she asked that her privacy be maintained.

The ministry also confirmed today that a doctor who had earlier been collecting eggs for Hwang’s research paid some women for their eggs, and that Hwang had recently been made aware of that.

Hwang said he had asked the doctor about the source of the eggs and been told he shouldn’t worry about it and to just continue his work.

The payments to egg donors ended in 2003 and weren’t illegal at the time. However, Hwang has previously insisted that all eggs obtained for his research were made by donors who gave them in hopes of helping his work.

This year, a new South Korean law took effect banning commercial trading of human eggs.