Retraction: An innovative panel containing a set of insertion/deletion loci for individual identification and its forensic efficiency evaluations in Chinese Hui ethnic minority

TL;DR

A retracted study about using genetic markers for individual identification in a Chinese ethnic group due to ethical concerns.

Contribution

The paper proposed a new genetic marker panel for forensic identification in the Hui ethnic minority, but was retracted due to ethical issues.

Findings

The article was retracted due to concerns about consent and ethical approval.

Inconsistencies were found between the consent documentation and the research reported.

The associated data was withdrawn to protect participant identities.

Abstract

Cui W., Jin X., Guo Y., Chen C., Zhang W., Kong T., Meng H., Zhu B. (2020). An innovative panel containing a set of insertion/deletion loci for individual identification and its forensic efficiency evaluations in Chinese Hui ethnic minority. Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine, 8(2), e1074. https://doi.org/10.1002/mgg3.1074

The above article, published online on 22 December 2019 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Suzanne Hart, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. Following publication of this article, concerns were raised by a third party regarding consent and ethical approval for the research undertaken and reported in the article. The publisher and representatives of the journal’s editorial board undertook a review of the consent documentation provided, against the research performed and reported in the article. The review uncovered inconsistencies between the consent documentation and the research reported; the documentation was not sufficiently detailed to resolve the concerns raised. As a result, the parties have made the decision to retract the article. In addition, consent documentation did not give approval for data associated with this article to be shared publicly. The associated data for this article has been withdrawn from the publication record following a concern that the data could be used to identify those who have participated in the research. Xiaoye Jin and Bofeng Zhu responded on behalf of all the authors, who disagree with the retraction.