HHS Gave a $1.6 Million Grant to a Controversial Vaccine Study. These Emails Show How That Happened
Rolling Stone • • general
Key Points:
- Danish vaccine researchers Peter Aaby and Christine Stabell Benn, known for controversial theories on vaccines' nonspecific effects, faced intense scrutiny and allegations of questionable research practices following investigative reports and a critical statistical analysis.
- Despite these challenges, Stabell Benn secured a $1.6 million no-bid grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), influenced by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his anti-vaccine allies, to conduct a randomized trial in Guinea-Bissau withholding the hepatitis B birth dose from half of newborns, sparking ethical concerns.
- The study, criticized globally for withholding a potentially lifesaving vaccine in a high-prevalence region, aligns with Kennedy’s broader policy shift to
