WHO slams US-funded newborn vaccine trial as "unethical"
A major global health scandal erupts over a controversial $1.6 million trial.
Deep Dive
The World Health Organization has condemned a US CDC-funded vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau as "unethical." The $1.6 million study, led by controversial Danish researchers, planned to withhold the established hepatitis B birth dose from 14,000 newborns to study alleged safety concerns. The WHO states withholding this proven, lifesaving vaccine exposes infants to serious harm like liver cancer, calling the trial "exploiting scarcity" and inconsistent with ethical principles.
Why It Matters
This controversy undermines global vaccine trust and sets a dangerous ethical precedent for future medical research.