12-27-2016, 04:44 PM
Why is there no Ebola Vaccine till date:
Ideally, every virus has the potential to mutate. Ebola is not an exception. In fact the mutation it underwent (or in other words, the mutation observed) in 2013 is what made it infect human cells more easily. But mutation was never a major limiting factor behind the delay. The major reason behind such a huge delay in getting an effective vaccine out (or Why there was no Vaccine for Ebola till date) was:
"Its prevalence in under-developed countries for a major span of time!".
I'm quoting below some of the cruel truths revealed in a New York Times article of 2014:
In fact, as long back as 2000, there was a successful research published in Nature, a work by Dr. Nancy J. Sullivan at NIH, reporting a successful Ebola vaccine candidate.
Dr. Sullivan started working on Ebola in 1997, considering the fierce outbreaks of Ebola in 1995 in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), and credits to her research proficiency, she had developed a vaccine candidate that the Centers for Disease Control tested on monkeys, confirming 100 percent success by July 1999.
As per Wall street Journal account:
The results, despite being published in a journal as prestigious as Nature, didn't interest pharmaceutical industry in developing an Ebola vaccine.
The Wall street Journal account explains that as well:
I guess this very well explains the hypocrisy of the Pharma world!! And hopefully, it sheds light on the "Reason there was no Ebola Vaccine till date".
In case you are interested in reading the Nature Article by Dr. Sullivan (year 2000), following is the title:
"Development of a preventive vaccine for Ebola virus infection in primates"
(12-27-2016, 12:24 AM)Brii1920 Wrote: Oh lovely! I mean it is a bit late but better late than never, eh? I mean nothing is 100% but at least we got a vaccine that's close to maximum effectiveness. Like a virus .. does the Ebola Virus mutate, and do they have a vaccine flexible enough to change it up to match the mutation if need be?
Speaking of, do you think it might mutate to effect another specie and possibly drive it to extinction? Just inside thoughts!
I like this post though.
Ideally, every virus has the potential to mutate. Ebola is not an exception. In fact the mutation it underwent (or in other words, the mutation observed) in 2013 is what made it infect human cells more easily. But mutation was never a major limiting factor behind the delay. The major reason behind such a huge delay in getting an effective vaccine out (or Why there was no Vaccine for Ebola till date) was:
"Its prevalence in under-developed countries for a major span of time!".
I'm quoting below some of the cruel truths revealed in a New York Times article of 2014:
Quote:Canadian and US scientists several years ago developed a vaccine that was 100 percent effective in protecting monkeys from Ebola. The researchers said tests in people might start within two years, and a product could potentially be ready for licensing by 2010 or 2011
Quote:“It never happened. The vaccine sat on a shelf. Only now is it undergoing the most basic safety tests in humans with nearly 5,000 people dead from Ebola and an epidemic raging out of control in West Africa.”
Quote:“Most drug companies have resisted spending the enormous sums needed to develop products useful mostly to countries with little ability to pay,”
In fact, as long back as 2000, there was a successful research published in Nature, a work by Dr. Nancy J. Sullivan at NIH, reporting a successful Ebola vaccine candidate.
Dr. Sullivan started working on Ebola in 1997, considering the fierce outbreaks of Ebola in 1995 in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), and credits to her research proficiency, she had developed a vaccine candidate that the Centers for Disease Control tested on monkeys, confirming 100 percent success by July 1999.
As per Wall street Journal account:
Quote:“Unvaccinated monkeys became sick and died within about a week. The four vaccinated monkeys had no detectable virus—something science had never before accomplished.”
The results, despite being published in a journal as prestigious as Nature, didn't interest pharmaceutical industry in developing an Ebola vaccine.
The Wall street Journal account explains that as well:
Quote:'The recently retired chief of vaccines at Merck & Co. said ‘there’s no market for this.’
Quote:It was because of ‘the relatively tiny risk posed by Ebola.’
I guess this very well explains the hypocrisy of the Pharma world!! And hopefully, it sheds light on the "Reason there was no Ebola Vaccine till date".
In case you are interested in reading the Nature Article by Dr. Sullivan (year 2000), following is the title:
"Development of a preventive vaccine for Ebola virus infection in primates"