14 DAY TRIAL // An unusual request for virgin blood by a hospital has sparked fury on social media in China. The request was posted for a study on the HPV infection.
China Daily explains that the ad has been posted by researchers at Peking University and Beijing Normal University. They are conducting the study at Peking University Cancer Hospital.
"To promote the prevention of HPV infection, our group is working on studies of serum antibodies to HPV. We need 100 healthy female college students as blood donors," the ad reads.
It imposed an age limit, which some social media users found even more insulting.
"Any applicant should meet the requirements of being a virgin, and aged between 18 and 24 years old," the post adds.
Comments started pouring in on Chinese social network Sina Weibo, especially from female users.
"Male virgins are not needed, just females, how is this science?" one user writes.
Hospital spokeswoman Guan Jiuping responds that the virginity requirement relates to women's lowered risk of contracting the virus.
"It's in line with international practice to collect female virgins' blood samples, which serve as negative control substances in HPV research, given that the risk of contracting HPV is low," Guan says.
Guan explains that the wording has been taken out of context in this case. China is a country where most men still prefer brides to be "pure" on their wedding night.
"Too much attention to sensitive words like 'virgin' [...] is not necessary in this context," she says.
Some Sina users agree, arguing the requirement has a proven scientific basis.
"People who curse are basically those who haven't understood the whole story. Learn some science and rationality, rather than criticizing others," one user writes.
So far, 50 girls have stepped up to offer blood samples for collection.