Guinea-Bissau Vaccine Trial Cancelled Amid 'Neocolonial' Claims

A planned trial of a hepatitis B vaccine for newborn infants in Guinea-Bissau has been cancelled following significant ethical concerns and accusations of neocolonialism. The study, funded by the US government, aimed to investigate potential broader health effects of the vaccine beyond infection prevention. However, it proposed withholding the World Health Organization-recommended vaccine from half of the participating infants.

This controversial approach drew international criticism, with experts questioning the ethics of conducting such research in a vulnerable population. Guinea-Bissau's government prohibited vaccine trials involving children in January, and police recently seized a batch of vaccines from the research center. The WHO has stated that withholding a proven protective intervention is unethical, particularly in a country where nearly a fifth of the population is infected with hepatitis B.

While the University of Southern Denmark stated the trial never commenced and no babies were enrolled, the situation intensified after claims that the study might proceed were denied by Guinea-Bissau's Health Minister. The US funding for the study occurred during a period of changes in vaccine policy under the Trump administration. The WHO is now working with Guinea-Bissau to expedite the introduction of the birth-dose hepatitis B vaccine.