Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Ebola Outbreak Still Not Contained, But Health Officials 'Cautiously Optimistic' About Vaccine
The Associated Press: Health Officials 'Cautiously Optimistic' On Ebola Response
The World Health Organization said Tuesday it is "cautiously optimistic" about efforts to curb the spread of Ebola in an urban area in Congo, although the lethal virus is still reported in at least two remote areas. There have been 35 confirmed cases, including 12 deaths. The U.N. health agency and partners have vaccinated more than 400 people with an experimental Ebola vaccine, the first time it has been used in an emerging outbreak. (5/29)
Stat: Ebola Outbreak Opens Way To Chaotic Jockeying To Test Experimental Drugs
Companies and other players involved in the development of experimental Ebola drugs are jockeying to have their products tested in the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, part of a chaotic and politically charged effort to use them in the midst of a crisis. With one vaccine already being used in the field, plans are underway to see if another might also be tested. And as many as five drugs, most of which are not supported by much human data, could be used in head-to-head trials. When considering one of those treatments recently, scientific experts told the World Health Organization they couldn’t recommend its use at this time, but the DRC government has already said it’s eager to move ahead. (Branswell, 5/30)
