Life-saving Ebola vaccine could be available in 'two to six years', leading experts say

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...-jab-years-researchers-face-funding-woes.html

Long article actually worth reading (I dont usually rate this paper!)

Key exerpts

The first Ebola vaccine could be available in two to six years, experts say but warn a lack of funding could hamper vital clinical trials. At least four new drugs are in the developmental stage in labs across the U.S. with trials involving primates yielding positive results. But researchers warn a lack of funding threatens the speed at which the first preventative jab could be available for human use.

Dr Thomas Geisbert of the University of Texas said he believes a vaccine will be approved in the next two to six years.

'I hate to say this, but it really depends on financial support for the small companies that develop these vaccines. 'Human studies are expensive and require a lot of government dollars. 'With Ebola, there's a small global market - there's not a big incentive for a large pharmaceutical company to make an Ebola vaccine, so it's going to require government funding.'

Dr Derek Gatherer, a specialist at the University of Lancaster, said research into experimental vaccines has been going on for decades.

He said the first could be available in the next 'three to five years'. Dr Gatherer said: 'This infection rate is the same as flu. So it's not as virulent as measles for instance which has an infection rate of 15 with any outbreak causing a slew of cases.

'To stop Ebola's spread hygiene is vital but in Africa it's impossible to get people washing their hands five times a day in places where there's not even running water.