Experimental Trials For Ebola Treatment Set To Begin In West Africa

Experimental trials for the treatment of Ebola are set to begin in West Africa next month, Doctors without Borders announced this week.

Doctors without Borders will reportedly work with three other aid organizations at testing two Ebola antiviral drugs in Guinea, one of the West African countries hit hardest by the deadly disease.

According to Time Magazine, trials are expected to start in December, with results being available in February 2015. One of the trials will use the blood of healed Ebola patients to treat those infected with the disease, as the blood has built up special antibodies to fight the virus.

"We need to keep in mind that there is no guarantee that these therapies will be the miracle cure," Dr. Annick Antierens of Doctors without Borders told Time. "But we need to do all we can to try the products available today to increase the chances of finding an effective treatment against Ebola."

According to Newsweek, Johan van Griensven of the Institute of Tropical Medicine released a statement explaining the benefit of the upcoming trials.

"Close communication with people who recovered from Ebola, and the community at large, will be vital for a successful trial," van Griensven said. "We hope that recovered patients donating blood and plasma to help sick people could reduce fear of the disease and reduce stigmatization of those who survived."

He announcement of these trial periods comes after Japanese company FujiFilm Holdings Corp announced that it may have an Ebola treatment drug available for mass production and distribution by as early as the end of this year, given the drug is approved by international drug administrations.