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The Government of St.Kitts-Nevis has issued a statement regarding reports of Herpes Vaccines Tests taking place on St.Kitts . The government has stated categorically that they nor any arm or chief servant of government had any knowledge of the Southern Illinois University supported tests which have been reported to have taken place in St.Kitts since 2016. According to the statement  the Cabinet, the Ministry of Health, the office of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) nor the St. Kitts and Nevis Medical Board has ever been approached on regarding the  project neither have they approved such a project. In light of the reports the Government has luanched a full investigation into the matter.

The full statements reads as follows:

 

It has been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Health that certain clinical trials were being

conducted in the Federation, with the support of Southern Illinois University in the United States

of America (USA).                                                 

The Ministry of Health states categorically that neither the Cabinet, the Ministry of Health, the

office of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) nor the St. Kitts and Nevis Medical Board has ever been

approached on this project. By extension, none of these agencies has approved such a

venture. As a result, an active investigation has commenced into this project.

The Ministry of Health will always ensure that all research involving human participants follow

international standards which protect the safety and security of persons involved. In order to

help fulfil this mandate, the Chief Medical Officer convened an Interim Ethics Review Committee

(IERC) to vet all medical research protocols in the Federation in keeping with international best

practices. The role of the IERC is to ensure that the basic ethical principles and guidelines that

govern the conduct of research involving human beings are maintained at all times.

 

An update will be provided to the public once the investigations by the Ministry of National

Security have been concluded.

 

The study was backed by Southern Illinois University and a group of wealthy libertarians – including prominent Donald Trump supporter Peter Thiel, who co-founded Paypal.

The trial was labelled “patently unethical” by Jonathan Zenilman, chief of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center’s Infectious Diseases Division.