Japan has offered to send its own experimental Ebola drug to help curb the spread of the disease.
The Japanese government has said that the anti-influenza drug, Favipiravir was made to treat new and re-emerging viral diseases including Ebola.
This was disclosed by the Chief Cabinet Secretary of the Japanese government, Yoshihide Suga in Tokyo yesterday, August 25, 2014.
He said that his country’s government is awaiting a request from the World Health Organization (WHO) before it dispatches the drug but individual requests could also be granted.
The drug was created by Fujifilm and a spokesperson for the company, Takao Aoki said:
“Fujifilm is in talks with the US Food and Drug Administration on clinical testing of the drug in treating Ebola, the company has Favipiravir stock for more than 20,000 patients. Ebola and influenza viruses are the same type and theoretically similar effects can be expected on Ebola,”
Experimental vaccines have also been offered by Canada and the U.S since the WHO stated that the use of such treatments is ethical in the circumstances.
