Guinea-Bissau suspends US vaccine study amid accusations of unethical research practices.
In a move that has sparked controversy, the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau has cancelled or suspended a US-funded study on hepatitis B vaccination for infants. The trial, led by Danish researchers and funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, was intended to investigate the effects of administering vaccines alongside other shots, but it has been halted due to concerns over its ethics.
Guinea-Bissau's Minister of Health, Quinhin Nantote, stated that the decision to suspend the trial was made after reviewing the science behind it. "It's the sovereignty of the country," said Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in a statement. "We will support any decision that the minister makes."
The US Department of Health and Human Services has come under fire for its characterization of the Africa CDC as a "powerless, fake organization", with officials claiming that it is "manufacturing credibility" through public relations campaigns rather than engaging in scientific facts. However, Kaseya has denied these allegations, pointing out that the Africa CDC plays a crucial role in responding to outbreaks with global implications.
The study itself was designed to compare infants who received hepatitis B vaccines at birth versus those who did not receive them until six weeks of age. Critics argue that this design is unethical and could lead to harm, particularly given that nearly one-fifth of adults and 11% of young children in Guinea-Bissau already have hepatitis B.
Abdulhammad Babatunde, a medical doctor and global health researcher from Nigeria, has also expressed concerns about the study's design. "This is not acceptable," he said. "To prevent things like the Tuskegee study and others, the control group should get the standard of care, and the intervention group should get potentially better care."
Guinea-Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world, with limited access to healthcare services such as water and sanitation. The country has been plagued by poverty, food insecurity, and maternal mortality, making it challenging for health officials to address these issues.
The suspension of the trial raises questions about how research is conducted ethically in other countries. Gavin Yamey, professor of global health at the Duke Global Health Institute, noted that the "most important voice" should be that of Guinea-Bissau's Ministry of Health.
In a move that has sparked controversy, the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau has cancelled or suspended a US-funded study on hepatitis B vaccination for infants. The trial, led by Danish researchers and funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, was intended to investigate the effects of administering vaccines alongside other shots, but it has been halted due to concerns over its ethics.
Guinea-Bissau's Minister of Health, Quinhin Nantote, stated that the decision to suspend the trial was made after reviewing the science behind it. "It's the sovereignty of the country," said Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in a statement. "We will support any decision that the minister makes."
The US Department of Health and Human Services has come under fire for its characterization of the Africa CDC as a "powerless, fake organization", with officials claiming that it is "manufacturing credibility" through public relations campaigns rather than engaging in scientific facts. However, Kaseya has denied these allegations, pointing out that the Africa CDC plays a crucial role in responding to outbreaks with global implications.
The study itself was designed to compare infants who received hepatitis B vaccines at birth versus those who did not receive them until six weeks of age. Critics argue that this design is unethical and could lead to harm, particularly given that nearly one-fifth of adults and 11% of young children in Guinea-Bissau already have hepatitis B.
Abdulhammad Babatunde, a medical doctor and global health researcher from Nigeria, has also expressed concerns about the study's design. "This is not acceptable," he said. "To prevent things like the Tuskegee study and others, the control group should get the standard of care, and the intervention group should get potentially better care."
Guinea-Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world, with limited access to healthcare services such as water and sanitation. The country has been plagued by poverty, food insecurity, and maternal mortality, making it challenging for health officials to address these issues.
The suspension of the trial raises questions about how research is conducted ethically in other countries. Gavin Yamey, professor of global health at the Duke Global Health Institute, noted that the "most important voice" should be that of Guinea-Bissau's Ministry of Health.
the whole thing just feels so wrong like they're just disregarding people's lives in guinea bissau without even thinking about it 
and the way the US is talking smack about africa CDC is just ridiculous 
they need to focus on their own issues instead of trying to tear other people down 
and can't believe they were planning to use this study on kids who already have hepatitis b 
what kind of twisted logic is that? 
this whole thing just feels so fishy... like they're trying to do some kinda trial run on a country that's already struggling to get basic healthcare to its people 
. suspending the study because of concerns over ethics doesn't sit right with me, what if it was actually doing something good and they're just covering their tracks? 
plus, who gets to decide what's best for a country's health system? shouldnt it be up to the folks who live there? 
like what if it actually works and could save lives?! 
and honestly, its not just about guinea bissau either... its about all these countries where healthcare is super limited and research is pretty much a non-starter. like what's the point of doing any "research" if you're not gonna do it right? 
a trial where they're tryna harm babies just to see if vaccinatin works 
. hope dey find out whats goin on & make sure its safe 4 the kids
US-funded vaccine study in poverty-stricken Guinea-Bissau suspended due to ethics concerns - about time! 
another study gets derailed by questionable ethics... what's good about US-funded research if it can get messed up like this? 
Like, what if it could've really helped them with hepatitis B? 
And I mean, those accusations about the Africa CDC being a "powerless" organization just seem super sketchy to me... 
Or is that just some kind of smear campaign? 
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke 
It's all about the money, folks...
to me. I mean, come on! Can't we just get one study right for once? 
. I mean, who administers vaccines to infants with hepatitis B at birth? It's just basic first aid for goodness' sake 
. Newsflash: it's a real organization doing real work to save lives 
. So yeah, I'm totally on Team Guinea-Bissau here 
. We gotta prioritize ethics in research, especially when it comes to vulnerable populations 
. Can we please just get this right next time? 
. It's not a zero-sum game where one person or organization has to win at the expense of others 
.
.
. The Africa CDC might be 'powerless' and 'fake', but at least they care about the health of their citizens... unlike some 'global leaders' 
. I mean, come on, just because it's a US-funded study doesn't mean that the rights of the participants don't matter 
. I hope that someone is paying attention to what's going on here and taking action to support these countries in getting the healthcare they deserve 
.
. Ultimately, it's crucial that we prioritize ethics and informed decision-making in research practices, especially when it comes to vulnerable populations 
