Police raid offices of researchers praised by RFK Jr over vaccine trial

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 00:02 · Archive

Police in Guinea-Bissau raided offices of controversial researchers on Monday, seizing hepatitis B vaccine doses.

Police in Guinea-Bissau raided the offices of Danish vaccine researchers on Monday, seizing doses of hepatitis B vaccine intended for a proposed trial on newborns. The researchers, Peter Aaby and Christine Stabell Benn of the Bandim Health Project, have been praised by Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary. They received $1.6 million in funding from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, matched by other foundations for a total of $3.2 million.

The trial is controversial. International health experts have called it unethical because its design would deny hepatitis B vaccines to 7,000 newborns in their first six weeks of life in a country where about one in five adults carry the virus. Both outlets report that the trial has been halted and that Guinea-Bissau's government has not approved it to proceed. The health minister, Quinhin Nantote, told the Guardian the reports that the trial would move forward were false.

Ars Technica reports that the researchers are currently under investigation for alleged scientific misconduct by Danish authorities. The Guardian reports that a Danish research ethics committee and Guinea-Bissau's national ethics committee have recently approved the study, though the judicial police announcement said the seizure did not point to irregularities in the vaccine quality, safety or effectiveness.

How it is being reported

• Cops raid office of RFK Jr. allies planning “unethical” vaccine trial on babiesGuinea-Bissau police said hepatitis B vaccine doses were taken as part of an investigation.Ars Technica · 20 Oct, 22:44
• RFK Jr’s ‘deities of vaccine research’ raided by police in Guinea-BissauPolice seized dozens of hepatitis B vaccines from people at center of dispute over research on African newborns Controversial vaccine researchers who have been praised by Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, had their offices in Guinea-Bissau raided by judicial police, who seized doses of hepatitis B vaccines, officials said on Facebook. The researchers have been at the heart of an ongoing dispute over research on African newborns, supported by $1.6m from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and matched by the Pershing Square…Guardian World · 20 Oct, 20:18

In this story: Robert F Kennedy Jr · Peter Aaby · Christine Stabell Benn · Guinea-Bissau · Bandim Health Project · US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem