Canada to Begin First Trial of Ebola Vaccine Immediately

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

Officials announced on Friday that a Halifax hospital, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology at IWK Health Centre, has been chosen for testing an Ebola vaccine in Canada. The Canadian-made experimental vaccine is one of the two frontrunners in the race to fight the virus killing thousands in West Africa.

It was announced that vials of VSV-ZEBOV (BPSC1001) have been transferred for Phase I trials to the U.S., Germany, Switzerland, Gabon and Kenya. In a Phase I trial, the drug is tested on a small group of people to evaluate its safety, determining a safe dosage range and identify its side effects. According to a statement issued by IWK, the experimental vaccine do not contain the Ebola virus and so there is no danger of participants or the public being exposed. A statement issued by IWK on Friday said that “this particular vaccine is made with a live animal virus that has been genetically modified to produce a protein made by the Ebola virus, intended to produce the necessary antibodies.” The scientists will be looking to recruit 40 healthy adults, from 18 to 65 years in age, to volunteer and get paid $1,125 for a total of 11 visits over six months.

Earlier this month, Health Minister Rona Ambrose promised an additional $30.5 million in federal funds to prepare Canada for a possible Ebola outbreak. Furthermore, the money would also go to fighting the deadly virus in West Africa, bringing Canada’s total commitment to the effort to $65 million.