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http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_752055.html
Gan Kim Yong apologises over DNA lab blunder by HSA
Published on Jan 5, 2012
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Mr Gan says his ministry takes a serious view of the lab blunder, but it is confident that no one was wrongly convicted due to the error. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
By Tham Yuen-C
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Wednesday apologised for the blunder in a government lab, which resulted in the need to retest almost 2,000 DNA samples connected to criminal cases here.
This, after the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) discovered that thousands of samples had been tested at its DNA Profiling Laboratory using a reagent solution of a higher-than-usual concentration between October 2010 and August last year.
Explaining what happened, the HSA had said on Tuesday that a lab manager had prepared a year's worth of reagent solution for DNA testing with the wrong level of concentration.
He had 'misread the label' and used 1.0 millimolar (mM) - a measure of concentration - of the chemical ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid instead of the prescribed 0.1mM. That led to a 'marginal reduction in sensitivity' in the testing of DNA samples. As a result, 412 cases had to be reviewed by the Attorney-General's Chambers, which now wants DNA samples connected to 87 ongoing criminal cases to be retested as a precaution.
Gan Kim Yong apologises over DNA lab blunder by HSA
Published on Jan 5, 2012
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos
Mr Gan says his ministry takes a serious view of the lab blunder, but it is confident that no one was wrongly convicted due to the error. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
By Tham Yuen-C
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Wednesday apologised for the blunder in a government lab, which resulted in the need to retest almost 2,000 DNA samples connected to criminal cases here.
This, after the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) discovered that thousands of samples had been tested at its DNA Profiling Laboratory using a reagent solution of a higher-than-usual concentration between October 2010 and August last year.
Explaining what happened, the HSA had said on Tuesday that a lab manager had prepared a year's worth of reagent solution for DNA testing with the wrong level of concentration.
He had 'misread the label' and used 1.0 millimolar (mM) - a measure of concentration - of the chemical ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid instead of the prescribed 0.1mM. That led to a 'marginal reduction in sensitivity' in the testing of DNA samples. As a result, 412 cases had to be reviewed by the Attorney-General's Chambers, which now wants DNA samples connected to 87 ongoing criminal cases to be retested as a precaution.
