把希望寄托在一个沾染上炒作之风的孩子身上有些危险，难道那么多科学家还不如一个小孩？

 

Jack Andraka

Criticism

A 2011 article published by Sharon et al.^[8] refutes many of Andraka's claims about specificity of using mesothelin as a biomarker for pancreatic cancer. Specifically, the group showed that mesothelin serum levels in healthy donors were not statistically different from serum levels in pancreatic cancer patients. Dr. Ira Pastan, who discovered mesothelin, has commented "It makes no scientific sense. I don't know anybody in the scientific community who believes his findings."^[9] George M. Church, professor of genetics at Harvard University, has raised concerns about the cost, speed, and sensitivity claims.^[7]

The novelty of Andraka's work has also been questioned. In 2005 (seven years before Andraka won the Intel ISEF), a group of researchers at Jefferson Medical College and the University of Delaware reported a carbon-nanotube based sensor for use in breast cancer diagnostics that uses a methodology nearly identical to Andraka's purportedly novel methodology.^[10][11] In addition, a carbon-nanotube based sensor similar to Andraka's was reported in 2009 by Wang et al., a group of researchers at Jiangnan University and University of Michigan,^[12] and a carbon-nanotube based sensor for applications in cancer diagnosis was reported in a 2008 paper by Shao et al. that used a methodology similar to Andraka's.^[13]

In 2012, a "World Patent" (under the Patent Cooperation Treaty) was filed by Andraka ^[6] which resulted in a preliminary search to determine patentability.^[14] The examination found "a lack of inventive step" ^[15] and prior art in US Patents 7824925 and 8110369. No subsequent patent has been filed in any of the patent offices under the PCT and a "Code 122" (European Patent not filed) was issued on June 3, 2015.^[6]

While being an advocate for open access, he was criticized for not publishing his discovery openly for anyone to use and build upon, and moreover trying to file a patent for it.^[1]