Post

In Feb 2026, we dispatched an experienced associate with decades of West Africa investigative journalism expertise to conduct an on-the-ground fact-finding investigation. We presented this to Congress in a closed briefing. A thread of our findings🧵 www.standupforscience.foundation/policy-and-a...

Our on-the-ground investigation found that Guinea-Bissau’s institutional instability and severe resource constraints raise significant concerns about whether ANY complex clinical trial can be ethically overseen without extraordinary safeguards. The ENTIRE yearly public health budget is <$500k USD.

Our investigation repeatedly encountered a central structural problem: Guinea-Bissau’s health infrastructure appears deeply dependent on Bandim, complicating the independence of oversight. INASA sources asserted that Bandim “is the government,” and INASA refused to provide document access.

A second source said the government was “too dependent” on Bandim describing reliance on Bandim-linked processes for civil registration and vital statistics & that “all the evidence in intervention projects… malaria, TB… all of it comes from Bandim.”

One person cited significant ethical concerns including concerns about whether consent procedures ensured true understanding of risks because he creole word for HepB is febri amarelu which translates to “yellow fever” and is indistinguishable from the disease, yellow fever.