Ebola and ZMapp…A scientist explains

Erica Ollman Saphire (lab website, PubMed, RePORTER) was interviewed on KPBS in San Diego about the use of highly experimental antibody therapy for the US health workers infected with Ebola virus.

It’s a pretty interesting viewpoint on basic science, translation to humans and what we do when an emergency situation like an infectious disease outbreak happens. I have been struck in past days about the huge international discussion this ZMapp treatment has been sparking. As you might expect, we have dark thoughts being expressed along the lines of “Why does this apparently miraculous treatment emerge all of a sudden when Americans are infected but it hasn’t been given to suffering Africans, hmmmm?“. There are all kinds of ethical issues to think about.

The television version linked below is 5 minutes but be sure to click on the link to the “midday edition” which is a longer voice interview. It gives a much fuller discussion.

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Additional Reading:

CDC: Questions and Answers on experimental treatments and vaccines for Ebola

Experimental Ebola drug based on research from Canada’s national lab

Ebola experimental drug, ZMapp sparks ethical controversy

UPDATE:
David Kroll on ZMapp

David Kroll on two other Ebola therapies

There is no "filter problem" in science

Seriously.

It is your job as a scientist to read the literature, keep abreast of findings of interest and integrate this knowledge with your own work.

We have amazing tools for doing so that were not available in times past, everything gets fantastically better all the time.

If you are a PI you even have minions to help you! And colleagues! And manuscripts and grants to review which catch you up.

So I ask you, people who spout off about the “filter” problem…..

What IS the nature of this problem? How does it affect your working day?

Since most of you deploy this in the context of wanting fewer papers to be published in fewer journals…how is that better? What is supposed to disappear from your view?

The stuff that you happen not to be interested in?