Guinea-Bissau has suspended a US-funded study on vaccines for hepatitis B, citing concerns over the ethics of the trial's design.
In a move that has sparked controversy, the West African nation has effectively cancelled the study led by Danish researchers, which aimed to investigate the health effects of administering vaccines alongside other shots. The decision was made by Quinhin Nantote, Guinea-Bissau's newly appointed minister of health, who confirmed that the trial had been suspended due to issues with its methodology.
Experts have raised concerns over the ethics of the study, arguing that withholding treatment from some infants could put them at risk of severe illness and death. "This is not acceptable," said medical doctor and global health researcher Abdulhammad Babatunde. "To prevent things like the Tuskegee study, the control group has to get the standard of care, and the intervention group should get potentially better care."
The World Health Organization recommends administering hepatitis B vaccines to all newborns within 24 hours of birth, but in Guinea-Bissau, infants currently receive the shot at six weeks of age. The trial's design was seen as problematic due to its potential to compromise efforts to increase vaccine coverage.
The US Department of Health and Human Services has called into question the credibility of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which oversaw the study, labeling it a "powerless, fake organization attempting to manufacture credibility by repeating its claims publicly." However, Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa CDC, said that the decision to suspend the trial was made by Guinea-Bissau's ministry of health, and he supports the country's sovereignty in this matter.
"This is not our problem," Kaseya said. "It's the sovereignty of the country. I don't know what will be the decision, but I will support the decision that the minister will make."
As a result of the controversy surrounding the study, officials from Denmark and the US have been invited to review the trial's design and methodology in Guinea-Bissau. A team of research experts from the Africa CDC has also been dispatched to help the country's ministry of health review the study.
The decision highlights the challenges faced by many African countries in conducting research that meets international standards, particularly when it comes to issues like vaccine trials. The situation underscores the need for increased transparency and accountability in medical research, as well as support for countries struggling to improve their healthcare systems.
In a move that has sparked controversy, the West African nation has effectively cancelled the study led by Danish researchers, which aimed to investigate the health effects of administering vaccines alongside other shots. The decision was made by Quinhin Nantote, Guinea-Bissau's newly appointed minister of health, who confirmed that the trial had been suspended due to issues with its methodology.
Experts have raised concerns over the ethics of the study, arguing that withholding treatment from some infants could put them at risk of severe illness and death. "This is not acceptable," said medical doctor and global health researcher Abdulhammad Babatunde. "To prevent things like the Tuskegee study, the control group has to get the standard of care, and the intervention group should get potentially better care."
The World Health Organization recommends administering hepatitis B vaccines to all newborns within 24 hours of birth, but in Guinea-Bissau, infants currently receive the shot at six weeks of age. The trial's design was seen as problematic due to its potential to compromise efforts to increase vaccine coverage.
The US Department of Health and Human Services has called into question the credibility of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which oversaw the study, labeling it a "powerless, fake organization attempting to manufacture credibility by repeating its claims publicly." However, Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa CDC, said that the decision to suspend the trial was made by Guinea-Bissau's ministry of health, and he supports the country's sovereignty in this matter.
"This is not our problem," Kaseya said. "It's the sovereignty of the country. I don't know what will be the decision, but I will support the decision that the minister will make."
As a result of the controversy surrounding the study, officials from Denmark and the US have been invited to review the trial's design and methodology in Guinea-Bissau. A team of research experts from the Africa CDC has also been dispatched to help the country's ministry of health review the study.
The decision highlights the challenges faced by many African countries in conducting research that meets international standards, particularly when it comes to issues like vaccine trials. The situation underscores the need for increased transparency and accountability in medical research, as well as support for countries struggling to improve their healthcare systems.
. so, you've got this study on vaccines in guinea-bissau suspended because some folks think it's not being done right... yeah, no kidding 
. i mean, who wouldn't want to make sure they're not putting babies at risk with an experimental vaccine? 
but seriously, have you seen the hoops these researchers have to jump through just to do a study that might actually be helpful? it's like they need permission from a whole team of experts just to give some kids a shot 
. and now we've got denmark and the us getting involved because someone decided to suspend the trial... great, so now what? 
. And honestly, who doesn't want better healthcare for their kids? The fact that the US and Denmark are getting involved just shows how much other countries trust their methods 
. I guess what I'm saying is, let's not be too quick to write off Guinea-Bissau's decision 
. They might be onto something here...
. The real question is: what will be the outcome of the review process? Will we see any changes in how vaccine trials are conducted on the continent? 
I mean, come on, Guinea-Bissau suspends a vaccine study due to ethics concerns and suddenly it's all about "controversy" 
. I mean, withholding treatment from some infants? That's just basic human decency 
. And now we're talking about the credibility of the Africa CDC? 
. Not just bash each other's organizations 
. 
. Can't we just have one decent thread without it turning into a mess 
Can you believe Guinea-Bissau's health minister, Quinhin Nantote, just put the kibosh on a study about hepatitis B vaccines? I guess they figured out that withholding treatment from some babies wasn't such a good idea 
. And poor Abdulhammad Babatunde, he must be like "seriously?!?" 
It's like when you invite someone over for a BBQ, but then they show up late... still enjoyin' the burgers tho! 
.
.
. Sounds a bit condescending to me. Can’t we just support each other in trying to do better? 
.
? this is exactly why we need better regulation and more transparent research 
not to mention the potential for harm to babies 
hopefully these experts from Denmark and the US can provide some guidance 
... so basically Guinea-Bissau is all like "hey we're good with our vaccine trial design" 
. I mean, withholding treatment from infants? Not cool at all 
. And now the US is like "hey we don't trust you" 
. Maybe Guinea-Bissau should've just said no to the study from the start instead of trying to make it work 
️.
. I mean, can you imagine if they were to do a study like that on human babies? It's unacceptable to withhold treatment from some infants just to see how the vaccine works alongside other shots. What if it puts them at risk of severe illness or even death? 
As a parent, I would want my child to be protected and taken care of at all times. This whole situation is really frustrating, especially with organizations like the Africa CDC being called out for their credibility 
. It's not just about following rules, it's about putting people first 
.