FDA approves vaccine for the prevention of Ebola virus disease

The Food and Drug Administration yesterday approved the first FDA-approved vaccine to prevent Ebola in adults with Zaire ebolavirus, which killed more than 10,000 people during a 2014-2016 outbreak in West Africa. Studies of the vaccine conducted in West Africa, and individuals in Canada, Spain and the U.S. supported its approval. “While the risk of Ebola virus disease in the U.S. remains low, the U.S. government remains deeply committed to fighting devastating Ebola outbreaks in Africa, including the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” said Anna Abram, FDA deputy commissioner for policy, legislation and international affairs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week updated its guidance on using rapid diagnostic tests for Ebola in the U.S.