Guinea-Bissau denies approving controversial hepatitis B trial in newborns

The government of Guinea-Bissau has not approved a controversial hepatitis B vaccine trial in newborns, according to the Guardian. The country's health minister said on Tuesday that the government did not authorize the Danish-led study, which would be funded by the United States government and private partners. [1]

The proposed study would not investigate the safety or effectiveness of vaccines, the Guardian reported. Instead, the trial would track nonspecific health outcomes, including neurodevelopmental conditions or overall mortality in babies. The project has been championed by Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. [1]

Guinea-Bissau functions as a unitary semi-presidential republic that has experienced persistent political fragility. Army officers seized power in a successful military coup on November 26, 2025, detaining President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and suspending the electoral process. Instability and ethnic divisions have hindered development, keeping the country among the least developed states in the world. [3]