Outrage grows as CDC reportedly poised to fund 'unethical' vaccine trial

Health experts have expressed significant concern following reports that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is considering funding a controversial vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau. The study, which was suspended in January due to ethical concerns, involves exposing newborns to the hepatitis B virus. Critics argue that the trial design poses an unacceptable risk of lifelong infection, potentially leading to liver cirrhosis, cancer, and premature death. Despite the previous outcry, internal communications suggest that the CDC director's office has requested $1.6 million to support the project. This funding would be diverted from global health security programs, which are currently critical for addressing ongoing health crises like the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Department of Health and Human Services has not yet provided a formal comment regarding the potential allocation of these funds.