Undue Foreign Influence in Science Seen as Growing Threat

The NIH has flagged more than 500 scientists with potentially inappropriate ties to foreign governments, an indication that undue foreign influence is an increasing threat to U.S. biomedical innovation.

The biggest challenge in curbing undue foreign influence is having the resources to combat it, federal health officials told a Senate panel Thursday.

“Each of these [scientists of concern requires a] tremendous amount of work to figure out what exactly was happening and to work carefully with the institution to figure out what’s been going on,” Michael S. Lauer, deputy director for extramural research at the National Institutes of Health, said. ...