Nipate
Forum => Controversial => Topic started by: Brynn on September 18, 2014, 09:24:01 PM
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The freakonomist in me forsees lots of kidnapping, blood harvesting and transmission of other heamatotic diseases...
Never a dull moment.
As the worst Ebola outbreak in history devastates parts of West Africa, some victims appear to be turning to a black market for an unproven treatment, according to the World Health Organization.
The convalescent serum treatment – which involves an infected victim being given a survivor’s blood – is a promising intervention, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said last week. Blood from Ebola survivors is thought to contain antibodies that can aid others battling the disease, according to The Washington Post.
[READ: Questions Remain as U.S. Steps Up Ebola Response]
There have been nearly 5,000 Ebola cases and roughly 2,400 deaths in the current Ebola outbreak, which appears to have sparked an emerging market for the blood of survivors. But illicitly obtained treatments may contain additional dangers, such as HIV, and receiving the wrong blood type could cause anaphylactic shock, according to The Wire.
Chan said the serum must be properly tested and administered.
“We will certainly bring this matter to the attention of governments and work with them to stamp out any black market activity,” she said.
Physician Rick Sacra, a U.S. missionary worker infected with Ebola, has received transfusions from American Kent Brantly, who overcame the deadly virus, according to Bloomberg. Brantly also was treated with blood from a young Ebola survivor during his fight against the disease.
“We’re hoping to buy him some time – in other words, to give him antibodies to help his immune system battle the Ebola virus and let him get ahead of the curve,” said Phil Smith, medical director of the biocontainment unit at the Nebraska hospital where Sacra is being treated.