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Guinea-Bissau newborn Hepatitis B vaccine trial controversy

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2026-10-14 21:31 UTC → 2026-10-20 11:35 UTC · added removed

A controversial Hepatitis B vaccine study involving approximately 14,000 newborns in Guinea-Bissau has sparked significant ethical debate. The trial, led by the Bandim Health Project and Danish researchers Peter Aaby and Christine Stabell Benn, involves a design where half of the infants receive the vaccine at birth while the other half has the birth dose withheld for six weeks. The study faced scrutiny after members of an ethics committee at the University of Southern Denmark resigned in protest. Critics have described the research as “horribly unethical” and “neocolonialist,” arguing that conducting such trials in resource-constrained environments exploits vulnerable populations. The protocol has also faced criticism from the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding newborn safety and parental consent. Following reports that the study had been cleared to proceed, Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Health, Quinhin Nantote, denied that the government had authorized the research. This denial contradicted previous reports provided to a Danish ethics committee. In response to a recent development, Guinea-Bissau’s Judicial Police seized a batch of hepatitis B vaccines from the controversy, Bandim Health Project in Bissau as part of an emergency meeting was held with local health organizations investigation into the trial. While authorities noted the seizure is part of an inquiry to ensure that any research involving human subjects complies with national legislation establish the circumstances surrounding the vaccine batch, they stated the action does not inherently prove irregularities regarding the quality or safety of the vaccines. The trial, funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and international ethical standards. Prevention (CDC), cannot begin until formal national authorization is granted.

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  1. 2026-10-20 11:35 UTC Guinea-Bissau newborn Hepatitis B vaccine trial controversy
  2. 2026-10-14 21:31 UTC Guinea-Bissau newborn Hepatitis B vaccine trial controversy

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