Temperatures will continue to fall over the next few days

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Medical teams plan to start three clinical trials in the fight against the Ebola virus next month, administering the drugs at treatment centers run by Doctors Without Borders in West Africa. Two of the therapies involve antiviral drugs.


Two of the clinical trials will be conducted in Guinea and Liberia; the location for a third hasn't been selected, according to 

. The group says it hopes to quickly find another tool to use against an outbreak that has killed 

, Richard notes that two other drugs that have shown good results in tests on monkeys — ZMapp and Tekmira Ebola — will not be included in the trials, mainly because there isn't enough of a supply.


"It wouldn't be surprising to see these two drugs tested next year," Richard says, "just not in this first round."

He added that contrary to most clinical trials, all of the people in the planned studies will receive the experimental therapies.

"There will be no comparison group," Richard says, noting that the approach could limit the information scientists get from the study.

News of the new tests comes as Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announces that she is lifting the state of emergency that she declared in early August.

"This is not because the fight against Ebola is over," Sirleaf said.


Noting that many of the measures introduced as part of the fight against the virus will remain in place, she also applauded her country's progress. 

, the World Health Organization has been seeing a decline in new Ebola cases in Liberia.
"I am pleased to announce that the curfew is extended to midnight, except those in proximity to hot spots," Sirleaf said, adding that markets and schools closed by the emergency can now reopen.  Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Health

Ebola

Doctors Without Borders says it hopes to quickly find another tool to use against an outbreak that has killed more than 5,000 people.

3 new Ebola therapies will be tested; Liberia lifts emergency

Go Deeper.

Like this?