Clinical and genetic data of U. S. citizens obtained by Chinese biotechnology companies through their partnerships with U. S. institutions could pose national security…
Clinical and genetic data of U. S. citizens obtained by Chinese biotechnology companies through their partnerships with U. S. institutions could pose national security risks, according to a newly published congressional report.
The risks stem from the “dual use of biotechnology information,” the U. S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) said in a report published on Feb. 14. For instance, genetic and medical analyses used in the biotech industry to develop tailored treatments for patients “could be used for malicious purposes in the hands of a foreign state government, such as China.”
In a hypothetical situation, foreign states such as China could possibly blackmail individuals with the threat of exposing their embarrassing medical information, according to the report. In another situation, the foreign state could use information on health conditions, such as allergies, to conduct a targeted attack against diplomats, politicians, high-ranking federal officials, or military leaders, to “induce an allergic reaction or fatal injury.”
Much like health records, genetic data could also be exploited as research about the links between genetic traits and personality traits becomes more advanced in the future. For instance, foreign intelligence officials, knowing in advance which individuals have genetic markers such as loyalty and susceptibility to flattery, would be able to know how to exploit or blackmail those persons.
China’s biotech industry has grown rapidly in the last decade, according to the report, with the market now estimated at 30 to 40 billion yuan ($4.7 to $6.2 billion), compared to the U. S. biotech market at $118 billion.
“As a major element of China’s biotechnology growth, Chinese biotech companies are utilizing US firms to acquire technologies and data that bolster their current capabilities through a variety of channels,” the report stated.
Some of these channels included foreign direct investment, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, corporate and academic partnerships, and recruitment of U. S.-trained foreign and Chinese-born researchers.
The report also warned: “China’s biotech industry may have also benefited from illicit extraction of overseas technology through espionage or the theft of trade secrets.
