Researcher Who Faked HIV Vaccine Gets Prison Term, Millions in Fines

A scientist who faked results of an experimental HIV vaccine in rabbits to make it appear he had achieved a breakthrough was sentenced to more than 4 years in prison and $7 million in fines by a federal judge, authorities announced.

Dong-Pyou Han, 58, admitted in February to infusing rabbits with human blood to make it appear the animals were developing antibodies to HIV, beginning in 2008 at Case Western Reserve University.

Han was recruited to Iowa State University the following year, along with the rest of the research team under professor Michael Cho.

A Harvard group discovered the mingling of rabbit and human blood in 2013, prompting the investigation.

The work involved millions in grants from the National Institutes of Health, according to the federal authorities.

Though a public defender asked for probation instead of prison time, federal prosecutors sought time behind bars for the scientist.

“It is important that we stand up not just for punishing the fraud committed against the United States government, but for the research that should be legitimately taking place on this devastating disease,” said Nicholas A. Klinefeldt, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa.

“Taxpayers fund medical research with the hope that promising scientific breakthroughs will result in much-needed treatments and cures for patients. When Dr. Han faked lab results — collecting scarce government medical research funding under false presentences — he recklessly betrayed the public’s trust,” said Gerald T. Roy, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Researchers who lie about their work will face the consequences.”

Han pleaded guilty in February to two counts of making false statements to the NIH. The total sentence is 57 months, with three years of supervised release.