Kenya probes allegations that group home allowed research on kids

Published: 2004-05-25

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) -- The Kenyan government is investigating allegations that a home founded and run by a U.S. missionary has collaborated with two British universities to illegally conduct research on the home's children. Kenya's National Council for Science and Technology has sent Nyumbani Children's Home a letter asking if it is conducting AIDS research on orphaned residents and, if so, why it did not get clearance from the council as required by law, the council's chairman told Catholic News Service May 24. "Institutional review boards or national review boards have to give permission for any research to be done or any specimens to be collected," said the council chairman, Dr. Mohammed Abdalla. U.S. Jesuit Father Angelo D'Agostino, who is also a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, founded the home 10 years ago. CNS could not reach Father D'Agostino for comment. According to an extensive report in one of Kenya's daily newspapers, Sunday Nation, Father D'Agostino denied that Nyumbani has allowed any research to be conducted on the children.

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