Merck buys the rights to an experimental Ebola vaccine

Deal comes as other drugmakers are racing to test and scale up production of treatments and preventive vaccines. Merck on Monday said it would buy worldwide commercial rights to NewLink Genetics Corp’s experimental vaccine meant to prevent infection with the Ebola virus. Large late-stage trials of the product could begin early next year, Merck said… (read more)

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The next Ebola? Health officials try to prepare for future outbreaks

The next Ebola or the next SARS. Maybe even the next HIV. Even before the Ebola epidemic in West Africa is brought under control, public health officials are girding for the next health disaster. “It’s really urgent that we address the weak links and blind spots around the world,” Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The Associated Press. “Ebola is a powerful reminder that a...

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Senate panel passes measure to speed up approval of Ebola drugs

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved a measure Wednesday designed to speed the approval of Ebola drugs. The bill (S. 2917) would make Ebola treatments eligible for priority review vouchers at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), cutting down on the evaluation time taken by regulators. “As the U.S. continues to respond to Ebola, it is critical that we are doing all we can to get life-saving treatments...

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Ebola Preventative Measures

Ebola Virus Disease is a highly contagious ailment that normally succumb its victims to death when the symptoms escalate to insuperable levels. If there is an outburst in concentrated populations, the disease can wreak havoc. In any case, areas will be contaminated if bodily fluids and egested stool are present in the areas like toilets and various surfaces like door knobs and in-house paraphernalia. The places should be cleaned meticulously using...

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