Topic: Zmapp

Following the infection of nurse Nina Pham, officials emphasized the need for strict adherence to medical protocols. Analysis suggests that private sector innovation for Ebola treatments like ZMapp was delayed because the disease was previously not seen as a profitable market. The United States healthcare system is described as highly variable, consisting of over 3,500 local health authorities with differing levels of readiness.

CDC Director Tom Frieden noted that the experimental drug ZMapp is in short supply, shifting the focus to vaccine development. Governor Rick Perry appointed Dr. Brett Giroir to lead a Texas task force; Giroir previously oversaw a $91 million vaccine manufacturing center at Texas A&M in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline.

The Canadian government reportedly holds the patent and intellectual property for the experimental Ebola drug ZMapp. While 1,000 doses are stored at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg, an intellectual property dispute is allegedly delaying the drug's deployment. The World Health Organization is currently managing the international distribution process for these treatments.

The World Health Organization is convening a panel to discuss the ethics of using the experimental drug ZMapp during the West African Ebola outbreak. Two American healthcare workers received the drug after being transported to Atlanta. President Obama stated that the government must let "science guide" the response to the crisis.