RE: statement from UC San Diego Subject: RE: statement from UC San Diego From: "Carr, Jacqueline" Date: 4/10/19, 11:32 AM To: Brad Racino CC: "Lafee, Scott" Brad, I should clarify, it should read clinical protocols. Sorry. jc From: Carr, Jacqueline Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2019 10:57 AM To: 'Brad Racino' Cc: Lafee, Scott Subject: statement from UC San Diego Hi Brad- Thank you for your patience in waiting for a response. Here is the statement from UC San Diego related to Dr. Kang Zhang:   MEDIA STATEMENT As a result of the 2017 FDA warning letter and subsequent UCSD Ophthalmology Human Subjects Research Compliance report you referenced, UC San Diego implemented a comprehensive management action plan to address these issues, including document corrections, retraining key personnel, requiring a secondary screening process, and suspending Dr. Kang Zhang from serving as principal investigator (PI) on any clinical protocols.   Best, Jackie Jacqueline Carr Assistant Executive Director of Communications UC San Diego Health 6363 Greenwich Drive La Jolla, CA 92122   (dir) 858-249-0420 (alt) 858-249-0456 (cell) 858-344-3799 (fax) 858-543-5423 Good afternoon Jackie, In the course of researching the human research study done at the San Diego VA, we came across a UC audit and FDA warning letter specific to Dr. Kang Zhang, who is the Chief of Ophthalmic Genetics and a Professor of Ophthalmology at UCSD. The audit and warning letter found a number of problems with several of Zhang's studies. We have passed the findings along to several experts for their review, and so far all have said the major findings are troubling and appear to show a pattern. 1 of 2 4/11/19, 10:03 AM RE: statement from UC San Diego We would like to interview Dr. Zhang and/or Robert Weinreb – the chair of the Shiley Eye Institute where Dr. Zhang works – about the audit and letter, any corrective actions taken and steps to ensure future compliance. Please let me know if you can help arrange that interview, and/or provide any additional context, findings, reviews or relevant documents related to Dr. Zhang's research. Thank you for your help. -BRAD RACINO Senior Reporter & Assistant Director inewsource.org c. (845) 553-4170 t. @bradracino Check out our 2018 annual report to see our most impactful stories, behind-the-scenes footage, and more!   2 of 2 4/11/19, 10:03 AM