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Click here if this e-mail doesn't display properly Genome test slammed for assessing 'racial purity' Officials in Hungary united this week to condemn ongoing ethnic violence and anti-Semitic attacks, including an assault on the former Chief Rabbi on 5 June. But a cause for further soul-searching has emerged: a scientific scandal recalling discredited notions of racial purity. Hungary’s Medical Research Council, which advises the government on health policy, has asked public prosecutors to investigate a genetic-diagnostic company that certified that a member of parliament did not have Roma or Jewish heritage. The MP in question is a member of the far-right Jobbik party, which won 17% of the votes in the general election of April 2010. He apparently requested the certificate from the firm Nagy Gén Diagnostic and Research, which rents office space at the prestigious Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. The company produced the document in September 2010, a few weeks before local elections. Access the Nature News & Comment article online. Click here to register for updates from Nature.          Facebook        Twitter        LinkedIn        Digg        StumbleUpon        Reddit     As a registered user of Nature Publishing Group's Web sites, our database indicates that you have opted-in to receive product information and special offers. If you no longer wish to receive these e-mails or to discontinue all e-mail services from Nature Publishing Group please update your online account. Modify My Account (Log in to be recognised as a Nature.com registrant). For further information on technical assistance | print subscriptions | other enquiries. Nature Publishing Group | Principal offices: London | New York | Tokyo. Worldwide offices: Basingstoke | Boston | Buenos Aires | Delhi | Hong Kong | Madrid | Melbourne | Munich | Paris | San Francisco | Seoul | Washington DC. Macmillan Publishers Limited is a company incorporated in England & Wales under company number 785998 & whose registered office is located at Brunel Road, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Nature Publishing Group | 75 Varick St Fl 9 | New York | NY 10013-1917 | USA © 2012 Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.