In the particular circumstances of this outbreak, and provided certain conditions are met, the panel reached consensus that it is ethical to offer unproven interventions with as yet unknown efficacy and adverse effects, as potential treatment or prevention
August 12, 2014 – The World Health Organisation(WHO) has approved for use trial drugs such as Zmapp to treat patients afflicted with the Ebola Virus Disease(EVD).
WHO approved the trial drug for intervention in EVD after a meeting of ethics to look at the possibility of deploying the drugs on 1,848 people worldwide that have been infected with the virus.
So far EVD has killed 1,013 people in four West African countries, Nigeria, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
“Therefore, on 11 August 2014, WHO convened a consultation to consider and assess the ethical implications for clinical decision-making of the potential use of unregistered interventions.
“In the particular circumstances of this outbreak, and provided certain conditions are met, the panel reached consensus that it is ethical to offer unproven interventions with as yet unknown efficacy and adverse effects, as potential treatment or prevention.
“Ethical criteria must guide the provision of such interventions. These include transparency about all aspects of care, informed consent, freedom of choice, confidentiality, respect for the person, preservation of dignity and involvement of the community.
“In order to understand the safety and efficacy of these interventions, the group advised that, if and when they are used to treat patients, there is a moral obligation to collect and share all data generated, including from treatments provided for ‘compassionate use’ (access to an unapproved drug outside of a clinical trial).
