Ebola Is Now Curable (wired.com)

Article summary

Scientists and doctors in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been running a clinical trial of new drugs to combat a year-long Ebola outbreak, and two of the experimental treatments appear to dramatically boost survival rates. The treatments, which use monoclonal antibodies, have been shown to reduce mortality rates to as low as 6% when administered early. The World Health Organization has announced that the trial has been stopped due to the strong results, and a new trial will now compare the two most effective treatments. The treatments offer new hope for patients infected with Ebola, which has a mortality rate of 75-90% without treatment.

Main themes

• Ebola treatment
• Monoclonal antibodies
• Clinical trials
• Global health
• Medical breakthroughs
• Disease management

What commenters say

• The new Ebola treatments are a significant improvement over previous options, but the term 'cure' may be misleading given the remaining mortality rate.
• The high cost of producing monoclonal antibodies could limit their availability and accessibility, particularly in poor countries.
• Early intervention with the new treatments can greatly improve survival rates, making it crucial to get patients to treatment centers quickly.
• The development of these treatments demonstrates the importance of investing in medical research and global health initiatives.
• The comparison of Ebola's mortality rate to that of other diseases, such as Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, highlights the complexity of measuring and communicating disease severity.
• The use of the term 'curable' to describe Ebola may be justified, as it refers to the possibility of cure for individual patients, rather than a guarantee of cure for all patients.
• The discussion around Ebola treatment highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of disease management and the importance of supportive care in improving patient outcomes.