Oreka Godis

Correction: This was not a vaccine trial, but a drug (Trovan) trial conducted by Pfizer in 1996 during a meningococcal meningitis epidemic. Four things stood out for me: 1. Pfizer tested their experimental drug without ethical approval. 2. There was no informed consent from trial participants (participants and their families were not told that they were part of a trial). Pfizer argued that it was not required to obtain informed consent for experimental drug trials in Africa. 3. The Pfizer team left Kano after the trial and never returned for follow-up evaluations. 4. Their drug caused deaths and injuries. This highlights the importance of prioritising medical ethics in Africa. The reality is that this event contributed to the vaccine hesitancy Nigeria experienced when trying to eliminate wild polio. It most likely still contributes to vaccine hesitancy in the country!