Police Raid on Controversial Vaccine Researchers in Guinea-Bissau
Judicial police in Guinea-Bissau recently conducted a raid on the offices of vaccine researchers who have been generating significant controversy. These researchers have received praise from notable figures, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). During the raid, authorities seized several doses of hepatitis B vaccines, as reported on Facebook.
The researchers involved are central to an ongoing debate regarding their study of African newborns, which is backed by $1.6 million from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with matching funds from the Pershing Square Foundation and the Bluebell Foundation, bringing the total funding to $3.2 million.
The police operation occurred on a Monday, described as an “investigative procedure” meant to clarify the circumstances surrounding the vaccines in question. While the announcement emphasized that the seizure did not imply any “irregularities in the quality, safety, or effectiveness of the vaccines,” it still raised eyebrows.
The Bandim Health Project shared a letter on its website, dated July 14, which indicates approval for the trial from Guinea-Bissau’s national ethics committee at the ministry of public health, signed by its president, Mouhammed Djicó Ould Ahmed. Additionally, a Danish research ethics committee recently approved the study after adjusting its rules.
However, Quinhin Nantote, the health minister of the transitional government in Guinea-Bissau, has pushed back against claims that the trial would proceed. “This is not even remotely true,” he stated in an interview, expressing his disapproval of the situation.
The study’s design was altered during the summer, but it would still withhold hepatitis B vaccines from 7,000 newborns in their early weeks, which is concerning given that around 20% of adults in the country carry the virus. Hepatitis B can lead to severe health issues, including cancer and liver failure, particularly affecting infants, for whom vaccination within the first 24 hours of birth is known to be safe and effective.
Tarik Jašarević, a spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), criticized any study that would deny the vaccine as “unethical,” stating it could place newborns at serious risk. He described hepatitis B vaccination at birth as a critical component of public health.
The WHO has been offering guidance to the health ministry regarding the introduction of the hepatitis B vaccine and the possible implications of this research.
The Bandim Health Project has been operating since 1978, founded by anthropologist Peter Aaby and currently co-led by his wife, epidemiologist Christine Stabell Benn.
Kennedy has frequently hailed their contributions, even referring to them as “the deities of vaccine research” at a recent conference. He has also mentioned the conflicting results from a prior study on diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) conducted by the same researchers. Kennedy described Aaby as a well-known researcher during a podcast appearance in 2023, referencing his work when he halted U.S. funding to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Stabell Benn previously served on a working group for hepatitis B at the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), where she contributed to the decision to discontinue a universal birth vaccination recommendation that was later paused by a federal court. She also hosted a podcast with Tracy Beth Høeg, a former FDA official who aimed to reduce the number of “unnecessary” vaccines.
In response to the police raid and the trial itself, Aaby, Stabell Benn, and lead researcher Frederik Schaltz-Buchholzer have not provided any comments.
According to a report from the non-profit Stand Up for Science (SUFS), the Bandim organization has had little impact on improving Guinea-Bissau’s health and research capabilities over its five decades. Currently, the organization is seeking donations to facilitate the rollout of the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns in the country.
Colette Delawalla, an American health researcher and SUFS founder, noted that there is considerable distrust among the Guinean population towards Bandim. Yet, she pointed out that due to a lack of public health infrastructure, it remains a leading option for those seeking medical care.
The police raid serves as a reminder of Guinea-Bissau’s precarious situation, especially after experiencing a military coup less than a year ago. Delawalla commented that such instabilities complicate the landscape for clinical trials.
“Guinea-Bissau is in the difficult situation of trying to protect their youth, their future, from exploitation by two powerful western nations,” she said, reflecting on the complexities they face.
