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Health Canada Approves Moderna’s mRNA Ebola Vaccine Trial
Developing
In Short: Health Canada has authorized Moderna's clinical trial for an mRNA Ebola vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain, making Canada the second country after the U.K. to launch such a trial.
Health Canada has given the green light to Moderna's clinical trial for an mRNA Ebola vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain, following the U.K.'s lead. The trial, set to begin shortly, will assess the vaccine's safety and determine the appropriate dosage and any potential side effects in participants.
The authorization comes as the Ebola outbreak in Congo nears 3,000 cases, with the situation declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO. Moderna has agreed to produce at least 500,000 doses for low- and middle-income countries if the vaccine is licensed.
Moderna aims to begin analyzing Phase 1 trial results this fall, with plans to conduct further trials in affected African communities. The current outbreak, initially confined to one health zone, has expanded to five provinces, making it the largest Ebola outbreak in Congo's history.
Health Canada stated that additional trials would be required before the vaccine could be approved, with the company hoping to start these trials in impacted communities in Africa after analyzing the Phase 1 results.
Background
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the second-largest country by total area, with the longest coastline of any country.
Health Canada is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for national health policy. The department itself is also responsible for numerous federal health-related agencies, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), among others.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Federal officials announced the recent authorization of Moderna’s mRNA shot on Tuesday, making Canada just the second country to launch a Phase 1 clinical trial for a Bundibugyo vaccine candidate after the U.K.
- In a statement on Tuesday, Health Canada said the clinical trial will assess its vaccine’s safety, determine the right dosing and identify any side-effects in trial participants.
- "Following this, Moderna would be required to conduct additional clinical trial phases before it could seek approval from Health Canada for the vaccine," it said.
- As Ebola cases in Congo near 3,000, more health workers go on strike Canada to temporarily bar entry by foreign nationals recently in Congo due to Ebola risk As part of an agreement with the Coalition for Epidemic…
- Moderna’s executive director of global health security and partnerships, Hamilton Bennett, told CBC News that the company hopes to begin analyzing Phase 1 trial results this fall, with the goal of conducting…
- Initially confined to the Mongbwalu health zone in Congo's Ituri province, the current outbreak has expanded to five provinces over the last two months, and is now the largest Ebola outbreak ever reported in Congo,…
- Neighbouring Uganda has also recorded 20 confirmed Ebola cases and two deaths this year, linked to the situation in Congo, and while the country declared an end to its outbreak on July 28, the WHO said it remains at…
- "The continued increase in cases, expanding geographic spread, and persistently high mortality underscore the rapidly evolving nature of this public health emergency," the WHO said in its latest update. 'No need for…