Mismatch of Supply and Demand: Marburg Virus Disease Outbreaks Need Countermeasures But Will Not Provide Opportunity for Clinical Trials.

Armand Sprecher, Michel Van Herp
Author Information
  1. Armand Sprecher: M��decins Sans Fronti��res Operational Center of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium. armand.sprecher@brussels.msf.org.
  2. Michel Van Herp: M��decins Sans Fronti��res Operational Center of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.

Abstract

In many ways, Marburg virus disease resembles the more well-known Ebola virus disease: The clinical syndrome is similar, management of outbreaks is similar, and the fear engendered in the population experiencing the outbreak is similar. However, diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines to manage patients and outbreaks are not similarly available. These have been developed but not yet approved, as outbreaks have not provided the opportunity to establish an evidence base for regulators to evaluate their use in humans. The history of outbreaks of Marburg virus disease suggests that this opportunity will not come, and so alternative pathways to regulatory approval are needed.

Keywords

References

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MeSH Term

Marburg Virus Disease
Humans
Disease Outbreaks
Marburgvirus
Animals
Clinical Trials as Topic
Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola
Viral Vaccines
Medical Countermeasures

Chemicals

Viral Vaccines

Word Cloud

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