The World Health Organization (WHO) condemned a US-funded vaccine trial as "unethical" on Friday, citing concerns over withholding a potentially life-saving hepatitis B vaccine from newborns in Guinea-Bissau, Africa. The trial, which has drawn widespread criticism from health experts since its funding was announced in December, is inconsistent with established ethical and scientific principles, according to the WHO.
The WHO's formal statement detailed several reasons for its disapproval, highlighting the trial's potential harm and low quality. The trial's design involves withholding a safe and effective vaccine, a practice that the WHO views as a violation of ethical standards.
Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, urging European allies to view former President Donald Trump's political influence as temporary. Newsom predicted Trump would face significant losses in upcoming elections and legal challenges, including limitations on his tariff authority. He emphasized that Trump's political approach does not reflect enduring American values and encouraged European leaders to maintain partnerships with US states like California during this period of uncertainty. "He'll be measured in years, not decades," Newsom stated, according to Fortune.
In other news, Jim O'Neill, the US deputy health secretary, recently discussed plans to increase human healthspan through longevity-focused research supported by ARPA-H, a federal agency dedicated to biomedical breakthroughs. O'Neill, who oversees a department with a budget exceeding a trillion dollars, signed the decision memorandum on the US's controversial new vaccine schedule. However, following the publication of this story, Politico reported that O'Neill would be leaving his current roles within the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Iranian regime has been cutting off the country's residents from the global internet during recent anti-government uprisings, according to Wired. Research indicates that the National Information Network, the country's intranet, is becoming a mechanism of constant surveillance.
Finally, a recent article in MIT Technology Review examined the reality of high-tech heists, finding that technical countermeasures are rarely a problem for criminals. The main barrier to entry for these crimes is often a physical one, such as a locked door.
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