U.S. Dept of Health gives immunity to Ebola Vaccine manufacturers

(Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday offered liability protections to drugmakers rushing to develop Ebola vaccines and urged other countries to follow suit.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell made the announcement as part of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act in a move aimed at encouraging the development and availability of experimental Ebola vaccines.

The declaration provides immunity under U.S. law against legal claims related to the manufacturing, testing, development, distribution, and administration of three vaccines for the Ebola virus. However, it does not provide immunity for a claim brought in a court outside the United States.

The United States has for many years offered similar protections to vaccine makers to encourage the development of childhood vaccines… (read more)

(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)