What is holding up the roll-out of experimental treatments in Ebola?

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) are calling for more speed in bringing forward vaccines and experimental treatments for Ebola. The experimental treatments are along the lines I indicated here.

Dr Draguez, Medical Director of MSF  said “The rapid development and deployment of safe and effective experimental treatments is also critical. Today, doctors and nurses involved in the struggle against Ebola are getting more and more frustrated as they have no treatment for patients with a disease that kills up to 80% of them.”

The sense of urgency is palpable in MSF communications, because their staff are extremely stretched by the epidemic. Ten weeks have passed since the WHO decided that it would be wise to try experimental treatments on Ebola, drugs that are used for other conditions, but are not licensed for EVD. Ten weeks should be more than enough time to get supplies to West African treatment centres. 

The Department for International Development (DfID) should chase up progress of these experimental drugs.