Liberia raises question over use of ebola drug on Americans only

By The Rainbow
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Liberia raises question over use of ebola drug on Americans only

Liberian Authorities Question Why Two Received Experimental Treatment; Second U.S. Patient Returns From Africa

As the second U.S. Ebola patient arrived in Atlanta on Tuesday, health authorities in Liberia raised questions about how the woman and an American doctor were given an experimental U.S. treatment unavailable to the hundreds of Africans sickened by the deadly virus.

While still in Liberia, both Nancy Writebol, who was working at an Ebola center for a Christian charity, and Kent Brantly, a physician there, received an experimental drug known as ZMapp. The drug's safety hasn't been tested in humans, and experts said it is too soon to know if it is effective.

For the drug to be used in Liberia, it would have to be approved by the country's Ministry of Health Ethical Committee, said Bernice Dahn, Liberia's chief medical officer.

Dr. Dahn said she wasn't aware of the committee approving any experimental Ebola treatment, though she also wasn't aware of any being disapproved. It is conceivable a treatment was approved without her knowledge, she said. Liberia's assistant health minister, Tolbert Nyenswah, didn't know of any approval. Liberia's presidency also wasn't aware, said Information Minister Lewis Brown.

Now, Dr. Nyenswah said, officials have been beset with requests from dying patients and their relatives for the same treatment.

“This is something that has made our job most difficult,” Dr. Nyenswah said. “The population here is asking: 'You said there was no cure for Ebola, but the Americans are curing it?'”

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