Why US-funded vaccine trial plan for babies in Guinea-Bissau caused outrage
AI Summary
A US-funded vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau, led by researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, was suspended in January 2026 due to public and expert outrage. The trial aimed to study the effects of administering hepatitis B vaccines to 14,000 newborns at birth versus six weeks later, comparing health outcomes over five years. Critics raised ethical concerns, alleging the researchers bypassed proper channels, as the national public health institute was not informed. The study was controversial because babies are highly vulnerable to chronic hepatitis B infection, which can lead to severe liver damage and death. The Bissau-Guinean government has initiated a review of the suspended research.
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