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Leaked Documents Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Ebola Vaccine Issues
sciencehabit writes Extensive background documents from a meeting that took place today at the World Health Organization (WHO) have provided new details about exactly what it will take to test, produce, and bankroll Ebola vaccines, which could be a potential game changer in the epidemic. ScienceInsider obtained materials that vaccinemakers, governments, and WHO provided to the 100 or so participants at a meeting on 'access and financing' of Ebola vaccines. The documents put hard numbers on what until now have been somewhat fuzzy academic discussions. And they make clear to the attendees—who include representatives from governments, industry, philanthropies, and nongovernmental organizations—that although testing and production are moving forward at record speed, knotty issues remain.
If an F35 costs $337M* and "27 million doses of vaccine" would cost $151 million (half to produce and half to deliver as per TFA), then one F35 would be worth about 60 million doses of vaccine? * (https://medium.com/war-is-boring/how-much-does-an-f-35-actually-cost-21f95d239398)
I keep seeing bits on google news about Ron Paul telling us how everything we are doing is wrong in this matter. I'm sure the world's most average Ob/Gyn - and most successful living American cult leader - is also a highly qualified expert on Ebola.
And yes, I know I will be moderated straight down to hell for this one.
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
And the ethics around live human trials are tricky, because some participants in the trial will die from ebola.
Which isn't surprising. If someone can think of alternative which delivers a better result, then I'm all ears. The framing of this as if the documents reveal some sort of 'scandal' is a bit troubling.
I still emotionally struggle with the clinical trial approach of giving half the participants a placebo to see how many of them die vs. the ones who were given the drug under study... I understand that it's statistically necessary but that doesn't make it easier to digest.
WHO held a meeting?
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
If there was ever a reason for @SavedYouAClick, this summary is it.
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
$151M or $337M is not such a large sum of money that the US, UK, or French government couldn't unilaterally pick it up. The issue is with the politics. Voters and politicians in a single country are more okay with joining an international effort than seeing that they're the only ones footing a big bill.
In this regard, the UK's strategy shows a lot of leadership combined with practical politics:
"As far as financing, the U.K. government contends that a “multi-donor club” should pay for the vaccine development in “the medium term.” But for now, the United Kingdom says it will “unilaterally” cover the costs for purchasing vaccines in Sierra Leone, and it asks the governments of the United States and France to make the same commitment for Liberia and Guinea, respectively."
It's a good play that let's the more xenophobic groups feel that the UK isn't propping up the whole world, but also allows hawks to see this as the UK exercising leadership/dominance internationally.
It seems that this all about the financial bottom line. I understand things cost money, but it would nice if there was, for once, more concern about human lives.
At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I think this particular outbreak is being publicized to create FUD.
There have been outbreaks in the past that weren't nearly so well publicized. I think a few companies are close to having a cure/preventative and are using this FUD to get around a few regulations (we have a cure, but the rotten regulators won't let us use it and you could die because of the red-tape). I am not a fan of red tape, but to try to circumvent it for purely pecuniary reasons is not good, either.
I would have a sig but I am too busy updating programs and restarting my computer
Mark Z. and Bill G. gave 8 figures too. Tehse would fill in gaps around government agencies. A good start!
I find it a bit suspicious that Africa has handled many Ebola outbreaks before this just fine. Sure there were deaths, it's Ebola, but they handled it. Now we have 20+ medical companies with untested human trials of Ebola vaccines/cures all rushing in to "save" the day by testing the drug on humans without a controlled environment and with no legal liability. If a survivor's next fetus grows a third eye and has an IQ of a sweet potato in a drought are they going to take responsibility? I doubt it. How about getting the right gear and help to the health workers instead of pumping them full of crap you could not test legally in your own country. Stop using Africa as a petri dish. Makes me wonder if they didn't start and help spread the epidemic in the first place. But then again maybe I have played/watched too much resident evil.
There are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third is statistics.
Why? The attacking nation would of course have vacines for those of the preferred segments of their society.
Why? The attacking nation would of course have vacines for those of the preferred segments of their society.
It mutates as it reproduces. It's like the rolling codes on your car alarm or garage door opener: vaccination against the previous code won't prevent you getting infected with the new one. This same effect is why you can have the cold or flu more than once in your life.
... what's there to destabilize?
Many diseases are not like that, and vaccines offer "cross protection" against mutated strains