Outcry Forces Cancellation of Us-backed Baby Vaccine Trial in Guinea-bissau
WHO:
Al Jazeera - The Danish research group Bandim Health Project, part of the University of Southern Denmark, planned the trial; it is chaired by scientists Christine Stabell Benn and Peter Aaby.
Al Jazeera - Researcher Frederik Schaltz-Buchholzer said the trial lacked necessary government approval.
Al Jazeera - Former Guinea-Bissau health minister Magda Robalo criticized the researchers’ approach.
BBC - The trial involved babies in Guinea-Bissau.
BBC News - The vaccine trial was funded by the United States.
BBC News - Critics described the trial as “unethical” and “neocolonial.”
WHAT:
Al Jazeera - About 14,000 babies were expected to take part, with health outcomes assessed over five years.
Al Jazeera - The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided $1.6 million for the project.
Al Jazeera - Guinea-Bissau began an inquiry into the trial with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and WHO.
Al Jazeera - Police raided Bandim facilities and seized vaccine batches; authorities investigated whether the trial met national safety standards.
Al Jazeera - The researchers said they aimed to assess whether preventing hepatitis B with the vaccine came “at a prohibitive price,” including death and other health outcomes.
BBC - A US-funded vaccine trial on babies in Guinea-Bissau was cancelled after an uproar.
BBC News - The trial was cancelled after it drew condemnation.
BBC News - Under the trial design, half of the babies would not be given the vaccine.
WHERE:
BBC - Guinea-Bissau.
WHY:
Al Jazeera - Guinea-Bissau reportedly has insufficient vaccine doses and authorizes hepatitis B vaccination as late as six weeks after birth; the government is working toward birth-dose vaccination for all babies from 2028.
BBC - The trial was cancelled after public outcry.
BBC News - Critics condemned the trial as “unethical” and “neocolonial,” citing the plan not to give the vaccine to half of the babies.
(UPDATED November 5, 2026 22:15 UTC)
Guinea-Bissau cancelled a US-funded vaccine trial on babies after widespread condemnation. The study planned to withhold hepatitis B vaccine from half the infants. Authorities opened an inquiry, while police seized vaccine batches from researchers’ facilities.
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(UPDATED November 5, 2026 12:11 UTC)
A US-funded vaccine trial involving babies in Guinea-Bissau has been cancelled after public outcry. Critics called the study unethical and neocolonial, condemning its proposed design. Half the babies would not have received the vaccine under the plan.