Decision on widespread Ebola vaccination in August at earliest: WHO

Reuters
An Ebola trials notebook is seen in a laboratory during trials for an Ebola vaccine at The Jenner Institute in Oxford, southern England January 16, 2015. Photograph taken January 16, 2015. REUTERS/Eddie KeoghHEALTH)

GENEVA (Reuters) - An independent advisory body will decide in August at the earliest on whether to recommend widespread introduction of Ebola vaccine, depending on results of clinical trials and the epidemic's course, the World Health Organization said on Friday. Reporting on a three-day meeting of experts, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a news briefing: "Vaccine introduction is by no means a given and will depend on the results of clinical trials and recommendations from WHO's Strategy Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on vaccines and immunisation. "The earliest that the SAGE is expected to make recommendation on a wide-scale introduction is August. Decisions on whether or not to introduce the vaccine will be made by the respective ministries of health of countries," he said.