The Ebola outbreak which began in February in West Africa is spreading like wildfire and has already claimed the lives of 600 people. Even though this is not a new disease, there is no known cure or vaccine to this day.
Let's take a break from politics. The Ebola outbreak which began in February in West Africa is spreading like wildfire and has already claimed the lives of 600 people. Even though this is not a new disease, there is no known cure or vaccine to this day. The only drugs which exist are not approved by any regulator for mass use and are only used as investigational drugs by the scientific community. At the same time, these drugs were indeed tested, albeit on animals, and positive results were achieved. So why are we not pushing for further research, followed by application? Radio VR interviewed Professor Peter Walsh from the University of Cambridge on our Agree or Disagree program. The expert believes that no Ebola drugs have been licensed so far because the pharmaceutical companies are not interested as there is no profit in the Ebola vaccine.
Dr. Walsh believes that:
“They (the drugs) haven't been licensed because there is no commercial market because it hasn't threatened the developed world.”
Read the full interview at en.ria.ru/radio and tell us what you think. As always, we share user feedback to get the discussion going.
Here's what our listeners and readers think:
Chris Blackburn believes:
“There's a cure for many things people are dying from. The FDA is far more interested in seeing people get worse than better. Money talks”.
Jimmy MacIntosh chimed in:
“Pharmaceutical companies are keeping marijuana illegal too. People are claiming that certain diseases' symptoms are lessened by parts of the cannabis plants. The pharmaceuticals can't get rich off this.”
Norma Hopping shared her opinion:
“Pharmaceutical companies are a multibillion dollar industry and their scientists are not to be trusted,...they get paid very good money not to find cures for certain diseases,..the Ebola has the potential to become global due to air flight travels…but we have great scientists not affiliated with the pharmaceutical companies and working tirelessly at finding cures,..but are hampered by lack of funds.”
Ayo Oged has an interesting opinion:
“The drugs are not used because they are not licensed but the victims die. Why not use the drugs on them, the best it can do is to heal them and the worst is to kill them but they'll die anyway even without the drugs so why not use the drugs to test their efficacy on [humans]. That's my view.”
What do you think, listeners? Do you think it's profiteering practices of pharmaceutical companies that holds research back? Do you think it's safe and/or ethical to use unlicensed drugs to treat the deadly disease which may lead to a pandemic?
What's your take on the situation? Send us an email! As always, we are eager to hear and share your feedback. Visit en.ria.ru/radio.
