A controversial US-funded study on hepatitis B vaccines for newborns in Guinea-Bissau has been cancelled after widespread criticism over its ethics. The decision was confirmed by Yap Boum, a senior official at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, who said the trial’s design raised serious concerns about withholding a proven, life-saving vaccine.
The $1.6m study was funded under the authority of Robert F Kennedy Jr and drew outrage for proposing to give some newborns the hepatitis B vaccine while others would not receive it. Hepatitis B rates in Guinea-Bissau are among the highest globally, with about 18% of adults infected.
Africa CDC said any future trial would need to be completely redesigned to meet ethical standards. A senior official in Guinea-Bissau also confirmed the cancellation, stating the country would continue its current vaccination schedule until birth-dose vaccines become universally available in 2027.
The cancellation was welcomed by leading medical experts, including Paul Offit, who called the decision “extremely heartening” and compared the proposed study to the Tuskegee experiment. Public health researchers said the move could mark a turning point in pushing back against unethical research practices in Africa.
