Dr. Chin on Ebola

The Ebola outbreak in Western Africa, with multiple cases in the U.S., is of great concern to PhRMA and its members. Patients are at the center of everything we do, and the biopharmaceutical industry is ready to help individuals who have been affected by this devastating disease. Biopharmaceutical researchers have been working to develop vaccines and treatments even before the recent outbreak, and as a result there are at least two vaccines for Ebola currently in the pipeline. While it typically takes between 10 and 15 years of research and development and an average of $1.2 billion to bring a drug to market, the World Health Organization (WHO) is looking for ways to help expedite the process during this critical time of need. The organization has reached out to Ebola experts and researchers from the biopharmaceutical industry and across the health care ecosystem to create a plan that accelerates the development of these two vaccines. This resulted in the WHO committing to work with those involved to expedite the development of these vaccines so they can be used safely in the affected countries. The industry is not only working to develop new vaccines and treatments, but also providing additional funding and resources to help address the Ebola epidemic. The funds and supplies donated by our members will help enable the immediate mobilization of resources, including medical products and personal protective gear to control the spread of infection. It is important to remember th...
Source: PHRMA - Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Source Type: news