Necessity, mother of vaccine

AYEAR ago, it seemed as if the entire population of West African nations would be consumed by the Ebola virus then rampant in the region.

Hundreds of new cases were being reported daily and thousands had died, with the possibility that it might reach an epidemic of Hollywood blockbuster proportions.

Twelve months on, that scenario is unimaginable. And now comes word that a vaccine, developed when the crisis was in its darkest hour, is now proven to be wholly effective in combating the disease.

The World Health Organisation in Geneva says that clinical and field trials in Guinea found the new vaccine to have been 100% effective in protecting against the disease.

Initial results from the trial, which tested Merck’s and NewLink Genetics’s vaccine on 4,000 people who had been in close contact with a confirmed Ebola case, showed complete protection after 10 days.

This breakthrough is stunning. The new vaccine and the rush to develop, produce and distribute it in such a short time shows that when need and will combine with finances, bioscience can produce incredible achievements.

Sadly, the reality is that necessity and money will rarely come together for the benefit of those who need a cure quickly.

If only that were not the case, how much better it would be for more of us who share this planet. Dubai, August 5