--- title: "Vaccine Trial Researchers' Offices Raided by Police in Guinea-Bissau" url: https://noti.group/vaccine-trial-researchers-offices-raided-by-police-in-guinea-bissau/ language: en publisher: "Noti Group" section: "World News" published: 2026-10-20T19:18:03.000Z updated: 2026-10-20T22:35:13.483Z id: d1f0afc6-d7bb-41ff-a7f3-3b387e31a9dc source: "The Guardian World https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/20/rfk-jr-vaccine-researchers-offices-raided-guinea-bissau" attribution: "Link to https://noti.group/vaccine-trial-researchers-offices-raided-by-police-in-guinea-bissau/ and name Noti Group when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Vaccine Trial Researchers' Offices Raided by Police in Guinea-Bissau Police in Guinea-Bissau have raided offices of researchers involved in a vaccine trial, seizing doses of hepatitis B vaccines as part of an investigation. Police in Guinea-Bissau raided offices of researchers at the center of an ongoing dispute over vaccine trials involving African newborns, seizing doses of hepatitis B vaccines as part of an investigation into the matter. The researchers had received significant funding for their work, with a total of $3.2m provided by US and international organizations, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and private foundations such as the Pershing Square Foundation and the Bluebell Foundation. According to officials, the police search was aimed at clarifying the circumstances surrounding the seized vaccines, with no indication that the immunizations themselves were of poor quality or effectiveness. The move has sparked further controversy over the vaccine trials, which have been marred by criticism from some quarters. The researchers' work on African newborns had previously gained support from prominent figures, including Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has been an outspoken advocate for certain vaccination policies. However, the legitimacy of these policies and the ethics of the research itself remain contentious issues. A letter posted online by the Bandim Health Project shows that Guinea-Bissau's national ethics committee at the ministry of public health had given its approval for the trial on 14 July, with a Danish research ethics committee also having approved the study earlier this month. Guinea-Bissau's health minister has denied reports that a controversial vaccine trial will proceed despite earlier approvals from national and international ethics committees. Quinhin Nantote dismissed the claims as "not even remotely true, stating his position in Portuguese on Thursday. This statement contradicts previous assertions that the study had been given the green light to move forward. The proposed trial has sparked widespread concern among health experts due to its design, which would withhold hepatitis B vaccines from 7,000 newborns in the first six weeks of life. In a country where one in five adults are infected with the virus, this approach is deemed particularly reckless. According to Tarik Jašarević, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), any study that denies essential vaccinations to participants is unethical and exposes newborns to serious harm. He emphasized the importance of hepatitis B vaccination at birth as a critical public health intervention. The WHO has been closely monitoring the situation through its country office in Guinea-Bissau. Its representatives have been advising the ministry of health on introducing the hepatitis B vaccine, highlighting the potential consequences of this trial for newborns and the broader population. The Bandim Health Project, which is co-led by epidemiologist Christine Stabell Benn, has been involved in various research initiatives in the country since its founding by anthropologist Peter Aaby in 1978. The Bandim Health Project has been involved in various research initiatives in Guinea-Bissau since its founding by anthropologist Peter Aaby in 1978. This has included a study on the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine, which was conducted multiple times with differing results. Kennedy's praise for the researchers, who he has referred to as the deities of vaccine research", is notable given the controversy surrounding their work. Specifically, his endorsement of Aaby's research led him to halt US funding to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, citing concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy. Christine Stabell Benn, a key figure in the Bandim Health Project, has been involved in efforts to inform vaccination policy at home and abroad. As a member of the ACIP hepatitis B working group, she presented evidence to US regulators on the universal birth recommendation for hepatitis B vaccines. Stabell Benn's work with the ACIP is also notable given her partnership with Tracy Beth Høeg, a former top official with the FDA who has expressed concerns about unnecessary vaccines. Together, they hosted a podcast that explored issues related to vaccine development and implementation. The Bandim organization's impact on Guinea-Bissau's health and research capacities remains unclear despite its long presence in the country. A report from Stand Up for Science suggests that the organization may have done little to improve public health outcomes over the past five decades, raising questions about its effectiveness as a research partner. Guinea-Bissau's fragile state has been highlighted by a recent police raid on RFK Jr's research organization in the country. The nation is still reeling from a military coup that took place less than a year ago, making it challenging for clinical trials to be conducted safely and effectively. The lack of public health infrastructure in Guinea-Bissau means that Bandim often serves as the only option for desperate individuals seeking medical care. However, this has also led to significant distrust among citizens towards the organization, according to Colette Delawalla, an American health researcher and founder of Stand Up for Science. The police raid on RFK Jr's research facility underscores Guinea-Bissau's precarious situation as it tries to protect its youth from exploitation by powerful Western nations. --- Source: [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/20/rfk-jr-vaccine-researchers-offices-raided-guinea-bissau) Published by Noti Group: https://noti.group/vaccine-trial-researchers-offices-raided-by-police-in-guinea-bissau/