WHO Denounces Birth-Dose Hepatitis B Trial in Guinea-Bissau as Unethical
The World Health Organization condemned a US-funded trial in Guinea-Bissau that would randomize about 14,000 newborns to receive a hepatitis B vaccine at birth or at six weeks, calling the study unethical for withholding a proven, life-saving intervention. The trial, funded with $1.6 million by the CDC to Danish researchers Benn and Aaby, is suspended as Guinea-Bissau plans to adopt a birth-dose schedule in 2028 due to resource constraints, with concerns raised about potential bias and insufficient harm-reduction measures.