Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Health stated on Tuesday that the government has not authorized a controversial hepatitis B study involving newborns. The study, backed by US government funding and private partners, had been promoted by Robert F Kennedy Jr., secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Unlike typical vaccine trials, this study would not assess vaccine safety or efficacy, but rather monitor broad health outcomes such as mortality rates and neurodevelopment in infants. Concerns have been raised due to the study’s focus on nonspecific health conditions and its association with a prominent anti-vaccine advocate. The government of Guinea-Bissau is denying any approval for the trial to proceed within its borders. This denial follows scrutiny regarding the ethical considerations and research objectives of the proposed study in Guinea-Bissau. The situation highlights ongoing debates surrounding vaccine research and public health initiatives in the region.