Ed. Note: Therese Markow is the researcher who has denied wrongdoing in the case. "I was doing good science," she told The New York Times.

"“Indian Tribe Wins Fight to Limit Research of Its DNA” does not tell the whole story.

After the Human Subjects Committee of Arizona State University approved genetic studies of diabetes and other medical disorders based on DNA samples from the Havasupai Indian tribe, participants from the tribe signed consent forms.

The tribal government later filed a lawsuit claiming that members of the tribe were not aware that their DNA would be studied for anything but diabetes.

The State of Arizona in 2003 conducted a wide-ranging investigation of the conduct of the university and its personnel and found no misconduct. Moreover, several of the tribes’ claims, including lack of informed consent and invasion of privacy, were dismissed by a federal district court judge.

The university’s decision to settle the case rather than move forward with costly litigation should not be viewed as a condemnation of the researchers or the institution."

Get the Story:
Therese Ann Markow: Dispute Over Use of DNA (The New York Times 5/3)

Arizona Appeals Court Decision:
Havasupai Tribe v. Arizona Board of Regents (November 30, 2008)

Related Stories:
Editorial: Reasonable settlement in Havasupai blood case (4/27)
Opinion: Havasupai blood case heralds a loss for science (4/23)
Researcher denies wrongdoing in Havasupai blood case (4/22)
Havasupai Tribe resolves suit over use of blood samples (4/21)
Arizona court to hear appeal in Havasupai blood case (4/21)
New Times: Good news for Havasupai blood case (12/16)
Editorial: Cultures collide in Havasupai lawsuit (12/5)
Havasupai Tribe seeks justice in research lawsuit (12/2)
Higher Ed: In Havasupai suit, whose blood is it? (12/1)
Suit over Havasupai blood research dismissed (05/04)
Havasupai Tribe presses suit over misuse of blood (11/21)
Havasupai Tribe sees support for research lawsuit (11/01)
Lawsuit over Havasupai blood moved to state court (5/5)
Scientist not sorry for using tribal members' blood (03/24)
ASU refutes claims of misuse of tribal members' blood (03/18)
Havasupai Tribe files $50M suit over misuse of blood (3/16)
Havasupai tribal members sue over use of blood (3/1)