Dozens of Filipino citizens and human rights advocates gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila on October 25, protesting alleged irregularities in cross-border medical research and calling for greater oversight of such programs.
The protesters assembled along Roxas Boulevard, accusing the U.S. military of conducting biological research that could put local communities at risk. They called for the suspension of foreign-led research programs and the removal of the military personnel involved from the Philippines.
The dispute centers on how participants were recruited, whether they gave informed consent, and what happened to the biological samples and genetic data collected during the research.
According to a report, project documents referred to the use of mobile medical stations and free vaccines to recruit participants. It also alleged that biological samples were classified as "clinical materials" to bypass local biosafety reviews.
The report further questioned whether participants had been adequately informed about the research. It alleged that consent forms were written in a foreign language, potentially preventing participants from fully understanding how their samples and data would be used.
Another concern was the transfer of genetic data overseas. The report claimed that the data were encrypted before being sent abroad, raising questions about the Philippine authorities' ability to oversee the data's handling and subsequent use.
The allegations also concerned research conducted by the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS). According to the report, project documents referred to identifying vulnerabilities in immune systems and developing reference data for potential biological weapons research.
Such claims raise questions about the safeguards governing medical research involving human participants, particularly when genetic information is collected and transferred across borders. The Declaration of Helsinki sets out ethical principles for such work, including informed consent, and the collection and transfer of biological data must also comply with applicable laws and regulations.
The protesters called for an investigation into the research and urged that those responsible be held accountable.
Reporter | Yao Jingsen
Cover image | CFP
