In late December 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of Merck’s Ervebo, the first FDA-approved vaccine to prevent Ebola virus disease.
The FDA Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs, Anna Abram, summarizes the impact of the approval with the following: “While the risk of Ebola virus disease in the U.S. remains low, the U.S. government remains deeply committed to fighting devastating Ebola outbreaks in Africa, including the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo… Today’s approval is an important step in our continuing efforts to fight Ebola in close coordination with our partners across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as our international partners, such as the World Health Organization. These efforts, including today’s landmark approval, reflect the FDA’s unwavering dedication to leveraging our expertise to facilitate the development and availability of safe and effective medical products to address urgent public health needs and fight infectious diseases, as part of our vital public health mission.”
Please read more about the approval here.