European External Action Service

11/29/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/29/2022 04:47

Ebola: €5 million for clinical trials on vaccines and treatments in response to ongoing outbreak in Uganda

Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food safety, said: "The deadly outbreak in Uganda is very concerning, and the EU will support the emergency response to contain and control this outbreak. This includes investing in research and development to find vaccines and treatments for the Sudan ebolavirus. We will provide €5 million in funding for clinical trials for vaccines and treatments conducted by the WHO and the Ugandan government. This is a concrete example showing that our actions under our European Health Union goes beyond the EU's borders, supporting the reinforcement of health emergency preparedness and response globally."

The €4 million allocated to the vaccines trial is expected to contribute to a significant amount of the total budget and cover the current funding gap as estimated by WHO. The first patient in this clinical trial will soon be vaccinated. The remaining €1 million will support the therapeutic trial once the clinical trial protocol is finalised and approved.

In addition, the collected clinical evidence for safety and efficacy will support the marketing authorisation to prevent and address future outbreaks. To improve the resilience of the supply chains, HERA is also exploring with Member States possibilities to support the sustainable production of these medicines once authorised.

The Commission has already provided €3.2 million in Uganda in emergency humanitarian aid, in support of its efforts to fight the outbreak. Neighbouring countries have also received emergency assistance for preparedness activities. More information can be found here.