Guinea-Bissau has suspended the US-funded hepatitis B vaccination study in its capital, citing concerns over the ethics of the trial's design. The decision was made by Quinhin Nantote, a military doctor and newly appointed minister of health, who confirmed that the trial had been "cancelled or suspended" because the science was not well-reviewed.
The controversy surrounding the study centers on the country's vulnerability to exploitation by foreign donors. The US-funded research aimed to examine the overall health effects of giving hepatitis B vaccines alongside other shots to infants in Guinea-Bissau. However, critics argue that this design raises ethical concerns as it could be seen as using children as "lab rats."
Abdulhammad Babatunde, a medical doctor and global health researcher from Nigeria, says that the study's design is unacceptable. He emphasizes that African countries want to solve their own problems rather than satisfy the curiosity of foreign funders.
Nantote acknowledged that the ethics committee had not adequately addressed concerns over withholding vaccines from some newborns at birth, when it is most needed. The Danish researchers did not seek approval from ethics boards in Denmark or the US, despite international guidelines requiring such approvals.
The World Health Organization recommends administering the hepatitis B vaccine to all newborns within 24 hours of birth. However, Guinea-Bissau still has a vaccination schedule that delays the first dose until six weeks of age, and funding issues have contributed to low vaccine coverage.
The suspension of the trial highlights the challenges faced by Guinea-Bissau's healthcare system. The country struggles with limited access to basic services like water and sanitation, as well as high maternal mortality rates and widespread malaria. Nantote acknowledged these challenges, stating that the authorities are doing their best to address them.
The incident underscores the need for African countries to maintain control over research conducted on their soil, ensuring that it aligns with local needs and priorities. As Kaseya emphasized, "It's the sovereignty of the country."
The controversy surrounding the study centers on the country's vulnerability to exploitation by foreign donors. The US-funded research aimed to examine the overall health effects of giving hepatitis B vaccines alongside other shots to infants in Guinea-Bissau. However, critics argue that this design raises ethical concerns as it could be seen as using children as "lab rats."
Abdulhammad Babatunde, a medical doctor and global health researcher from Nigeria, says that the study's design is unacceptable. He emphasizes that African countries want to solve their own problems rather than satisfy the curiosity of foreign funders.
Nantote acknowledged that the ethics committee had not adequately addressed concerns over withholding vaccines from some newborns at birth, when it is most needed. The Danish researchers did not seek approval from ethics boards in Denmark or the US, despite international guidelines requiring such approvals.
The World Health Organization recommends administering the hepatitis B vaccine to all newborns within 24 hours of birth. However, Guinea-Bissau still has a vaccination schedule that delays the first dose until six weeks of age, and funding issues have contributed to low vaccine coverage.
The suspension of the trial highlights the challenges faced by Guinea-Bissau's healthcare system. The country struggles with limited access to basic services like water and sanitation, as well as high maternal mortality rates and widespread malaria. Nantote acknowledged these challenges, stating that the authorities are doing their best to address them.
The incident underscores the need for African countries to maintain control over research conducted on their soil, ensuring that it aligns with local needs and priorities. As Kaseya emphasized, "It's the sovereignty of the country."
this is a big deal because its all about who has control - americans or guinean doctors 
africa needs to do research that serves african people not just americans 
- Oprah Winfrey 
And what's with skipping ethics reviews in other countries? That's just basic human decency. Guinea-Bissau needs all the help they can get, not some trial that's gonna complicate their vaccination schedule even more... 
. We just did what needed doin' and made it work. And now, Guinea-Bissau is suspending this trial because they're worried about usin' kids like lab rats? 
That's just messed up, if you ask me... I mean, I know Africa has its own set of problems 
This just makes me wanna shout "back in my day..." 
I gotta say, this news is giving me major concerns about foreign funding in Africa 
. Like, isn't it our right to decide how we want to tackle our health issues? 
is pretty telling. And don't even get me started on the "lab rat" thing... like, who do these researchers think they are? 
. So yeah, I'm all for them pushing back on this one 
. We should be in control of our own healthcare decisions, not just taking whatever we're given from the West 
.