WHO: Experimental Ebola Drug May Be Ready By Early 2015
The World Health Organization announced Tuesday that a safe Ebola vaccine could be available as early as December to distribute in West Africa after scientists conduct several safety tests on the drug. ]
Dr Marie Paule Kieny, an assistant director general for the World Health Organization, said scientists are currently conducting safety tests on two experimental Ebola drugs. Countries in Europe and Africa, as well as the U.S., have been commissioned to conduct safety trials to find a vaccine that can be mass produced and distributed in West Africa, primarily Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
According to the Associated Press, there are two frontrunners for a usable vaccine. One, developed in the U.S. and tested on chimpanzees, is being perfected in the United Kingdom and will go through clinical trials at the beginning of next year. Another drug, invented in Canada, will be tested in the U.S. in December.
Dr. Kieny told reporters Tuesday that currently "There is no vaccine that has no side effects at all," adding that the experimental drugs will be available to all people for testing come December. "It will be open to the general public. It can be you, me."
On Monday, it was announced that the African country of Nigeria is Ebola free after having no new cases of the virus pop up in 42 days. Meanwhile, Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the U.S. will be more aggressive in countering the spread of the virus. His announcement comes after two nurses at a Dallas hospital were infected with the virus after attending to Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan.
"We're increasing the margin of safety with a real consensus guideline that has three key changes. One, training, practicing — demonstrated hands-on experience so that the health care workers are comfortable donning and doffing PPE. Two, no skin exposure. Three, observation of every single step, putting on and taking off the PPE," Frieden said this week.
