Canada is donating an experimental Ebola vaccine after the World Health Organization declared it is ethical to use untested drugs and vaccines in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa, according to Reuters.
Health Minister Rona Ambrose said Tuesday that Canada will donate 800 to 1,000 doses to the WHO, but mentioned Canada will keep a small supply of the experimental vaccine in case it is needed for use there, Reuters reported.
"Our government is committed to doing everything we can to support our international partners, including providing staff to assist with the outbreak response, funding and access to our experimental vaccine," Ambrose said in a statement, Reuters reported.
Dr. Gregory Taylor, deputy head of the Public Health Agency of Canada, says Canada has about 1,500 doses, according to Reuters.
"We see this as a global resource, something we need to put on the global table to say ... how can we make best use of this asset? "We're looking to do that as fast as we can," Taylor said, speaking from Ottawa, Reuters reported.
The government says the vaccine, developed by scientists at the agency's National Microbiology Laboratory, has never been tested in humans but has shown promise in animals, Reuters reported. There is no proven treatment or vaccine for Ebola, but several efforts are in early stages of development.
The decision to donate the vaccine came after the WHO said on Tuesday that it was ethical to offer untested drugs to people infected by the virus, according to Reuters. The Ebola outbreak, the world's largest and deadliest, in West Africa has killed 1,013 people so far.
The Public Health Agency of Canada was also involved in the development of ZMapp, an experimental Ebola treatment licensed by U.S. firm Mapp Biopharmaceutical that has been used to treat the two infected American aid workers, Reuters reported.
