Ebola vaccine trial won’t harm Ghanaians – FDA
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has refuted claims that an impending Ebola vaccine trial in Ghana will harm persons who will be used as subjects for the exercise.
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The reaction followed reports that health authorities in the country have agreed to experiment the vaccines at Hohoe in the Volta region of Ghana.
The Hohoe Midwifery Training School is said to have been selected for the project, Accra based radio station, Starr FM reported.
As part of an enticement package, students who will allow themselves to be used as ‘guinea pigs’ for the exercise are to be given GHȻ 200 and a cell phone as reward, the radio station reported.
The radio station quoted sources as having said the exercise could be catastrophic on its host if not handled well.
It also reported the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Coalition for Ghana’s Independence Now (CGIN) and the Volta regional branch of the ruling National Democratic Congress have all spoken against the exercise and called on government to step in.
But at a press conference Monday, the Food and Drugs Authority FDA said the vaccines will be harmless on their subjects.
"Science and medical ethics (of the FDA) says the Ebola vaccine trial will not harm Ghanaians. All the ethical issues have been addressed," spokesperson for the Health Ministry posted on his Facebook wall.
