The World Health Organization has condemned a proposed hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau, which aimed to enroll thousands of newborns, as "unethical".

The study, backed by the US, intended to administer the vaccine to one group of babies at birth and delay vaccination for another group until they were six weeks old.

According to the WHO, the hepatitis B vaccine given at birth is a crucial public health measure with a proven track record, prompting "significant concerns" about the trial's methodology.

The US Department of Health, led by Robert F Kennedy Jr, had sought to investigate the vaccine's broader health effects through this trial.

On Friday, the WHO expressed concerns regarding the trial's scientific basis, ethical safeguards, and adherence to established human research standards.

With over three decades of use in more than 115 countries, the hepatitis B vaccine has a well-established history of effectiveness.

The WHO argued that withholding a proven life-saving intervention from some newborns could result in "potentially irreversible harm".

Hepatitis B is prevalent in Guinea-Bissau, with a significant portion of the population estimated to be infected; the WHO notes that birth-dose vaccination can prevent mother-to-child transmission in 70-95% of cases.

The WHO maintains that trials involving placebos or withholding treatment are only justifiable when no proven treatment exists, which is not the case with the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine.

The organization recommends that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, as infection at birth is the primary cause of lifelong infection, with 90% of infected newborns becoming chronic carriers.

Currently, Guinea-Bissau administers the dose at six weeks, but plans to introduce the birth dose nationwide by 2028, aligning with global standards; the WHO has offered to support this effort.

The suspended trial, led by Danish researchers and funded by the US, had planned to involve 14,000 babies in the West African country.

Public outcry prompted the Guinea-Bissau government to suspend the project last month.

Critics have raised questions about why Guinea-Bissau was chosen as the location for the trial.

In a related development, a US advisory panel recently voted to stop recommending universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns in the US.

The panel, appointed by US Health Secretary Kennedy, had replaced the previous members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices with new members who have expressed skepticism about vaccines.

Despite denying anti-vaccination views, Kennedy has repeatedly made claims about vaccine harms that have been widely debunked.

Among the vocal opponents of the Guinea-Bissau trial is the country's former health minister, Magda Robalo.

Robalo told the science journal Nature that the trial was "not acceptable" and that "Guinea-Bissauans are not guinea pigs".

According to the WHO, more than 12% of Guinea-Bissau's adult population has chronic hepatitis B, with some studies suggesting the prevalence could be as high as one in five.

Many people with the virus are asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms.

However, some individuals may exhibit jaundice, dark urine, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

The WHO warns that chronic hepatitis B patients are at high risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer.

For more news from the African continent, visit BBCAfrica.com.

Ireland managed to turn the tables on Italy in their Six Nations match, thanks in part to a try from debutant Rob Baloucoune, who helped his team recover from a deficit at halftime.

The scoring breakdown for the match included tries from Osborne, Conan, and Baloucoune, with Crowley contributing a conversion and a penalty, while Italy's points came from a Nicotera try, converted by Garbisi, and two penalties from Garbisi.

Italy's scoring consisted of a try by Nicotera, which was converted by Garbisi, and two penalties kicked by Garbisi.

In a closely contested match, Ireland secured their first win of the Six Nations campaign, narrowly defeating Italy and preventing the Azzurri from achieving their first championship victory in Dublin.

Following a disappointing loss to France the previous week, Ireland initially took the lead when Jamie Osborne scored an unconverted try, capitalizing on a yellow card given to Italy's Louis Lynagh for a deliberate knock-on.

However, the momentum shifted in Italy's favor, and after Paolo Garbisi kicked a penalty, Ireland's Craig Casey received a yellow card, allowing Italy to gain an advantage that ultimately led to Giacomo Nicotera scoring a try and giving the Italians a halftime lead.

Three minutes into the second half, Ireland responded with a try from Jack Conan, but the score remained tied at 10-10 after Sam Prendergast missed the conversion attempt.

Ireland breathed a sigh of relief when a would-be try by Louis Lynagh was disallowed due to a forward pass, leaving the score still tied and setting the stage for a tense conclusion to the match.

As the game hung in the balance, Rob Baloucoune marked his Six Nations debut with a crucial try, and Jack Crowley's subsequent penalty gave Ireland a 10-point cushion.

Although Italy managed to close the gap, Ireland withstood a frenzied late surge from the visitors and ultimately dashed their hopes of a historic win.

A reaction to Ireland's come-from-behind victory over Italy in the Six Nations is available.

Having had nine days to reflect on their disappointing loss to France, during which coach Farrell criticized the team's lack of intent, Ireland were under pressure to deliver a strong performance and generate positive discussion around the team.

Italy, who had suffered several significant defeats in Dublin in the past, were determined to prevent Ireland from bouncing back and instead sought their first Six Nations win on Irish soil in 14 attempts.

Despite being down a player for 10 minutes after Lynagh's yellow card, Italy's defense held firm, allowing only five points to Ireland's struggling attack before Garbisi's penalty narrowed the gap to two points after 20 minutes.

As the first half progressed, Italy increased the pressure on Ireland, and after Craig Casey was sin-binned for a high tackle on Michele Lamaro, the Azzurri kicked to the corner and drove towards the Irish line, resulting in Nicotera's try.

Ireland's situation could have been even more dire if not for Michele Lamaro's knock-on after full-back Lorenzo Pani had intercepted a poor kick by Sam Prendergast and beaten the Irish fly-half.

The Ireland team consisted of Osborne, Baloucoune, Ringrose, McCloskey, Lowe, S Prendergast, Casey, Loughman, Sheehan, Clarkson, McCarthy, Ryan, Izuchukwu, Doris, and Conan.

Ireland's replacements included Kelleher, O'Toole, Furlong, Edogbo, Beirne, Timoney, Gibson-Park, and Crowley.

Craig Casey received a yellow card in the 32nd minute.

The Italy team was composed of Pani, Lynagh, Menoncello, Marin, Ioane, P Garbisi, Fusco, Fischetti, Nicotera, Ferrari, N Cannone, Zambonin, Lamaro, Zuliani, and L Cannone.

Italy's replacements included Di Bartolomeo, Spagnolo, Hasa, Ruzza, Favretto, Odiase, A Garbisi, and Odogwu.

Louis Lynagh was given a yellow card in the 10th minute.

The match referee was Hollie Davidson from Scotland.

The assistant referees were Matthew Carley from England and Luc Ramos from France.

The television match official was Ian Tempest from England.

The foul play review officer was Tual Trainini from France.

In a bid to reassure European leaders, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the enduring nature of the transatlantic alliance, stating that the US and Europe's destinies are inextricably linked.

Addressing the Munich Security Conference, Rubio expressed his desire to revitalize the historic friendship between the US and Europe, framing it as an opportunity to reaffirm the values that have defined Western civilization.

While Rubio did voice criticisms of European policies on immigration, trade, and climate change, his overall tone was notably more conciliatory than that of Vice-President JD Vance, who had spoken at the same conference the previous year.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed Rubio's remarks, stating that she felt "very much reassured" by his commitment to the transatlantic partnership.

Rubio, the highest-ranking diplomat in the Trump administration, underscored the US's desire to maintain its relationship with Europe, saying that while the US is geographically located in the Western Hemisphere, it remains deeply connected to its European heritage.

He emphasized the US's intention to forge a new path towards prosperity in the 21st century, one that would be undertaken in collaboration with its European allies and friends.

However, Rubio also reiterated several criticisms that the Trump administration has previously leveled against Europe, including concerns about immigration policies and the impact of climate change initiatives on economic growth.

On the topic of trade, Rubio observed that both the US and Europe had made mistakes by adopting an overly rigid approach to free trade, suggesting that a more nuanced approach might be warranted.

Rubio reiterated the US's long-standing call for Europe to increase its defense spending, arguing that stronger, more self-sufficient allies would be better equipped to deter potential adversaries.

In response to Rubio's remarks, Von der Leyen described him as "a good friend and a strong ally," and expressed her relief at his reassuring words.

She went on to emphasize the importance of a strong and resilient Europe, suggesting that this was a key takeaway from Rubio's speech.

In a separate portion of his address, Rubio argued that the international system of cooperation is in need of reform, and criticized the UN for its ineffectiveness in resolving conflicts such as those in Gaza and Ukraine.

Rubio also expressed skepticism about Russia's intentions in Ukraine, stating that the US is unsure whether Russia is genuinely committed to ending the war, but would continue to test their resolve.

Later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the conference, expressing his doubts about Russian President Vladimir Putin's willingness to withdraw from Ukraine, and characterizing Putin as being driven by a desire for war.

Zelensky has faced pressure from the White House to hold presidential elections, despite the fact that they have been suspended due to the ongoing state of martial law in Ukraine.

When asked about a report suggesting that his administration is planning to hold elections as early as May, Zelensky claimed to have been unaware of the report, and reiterated that elections cannot be held while the country is still at war.

Zelensky emphasized that a minimum of two months of ceasefire and the establishment of adequate security infrastructure would be necessary before Ukraine could safely conduct elections.