Posted on 08/12/2014 8:17:27 AM PDT by ArtDodger
Looking for thoughts about the 'sudden' appearance of a cure for Ebola. I think our government has studied Ebola since it first appeared and is keeping it as a weaponized virus.
I dont see this as all that sudden. Here is a quick general history:
In 1976, Ebola (named after the Ebola River in Zaire) first emerged in Sudan and Zaire. The first outbreak of Ebola (Ebola-Sudan) infected over 284 people, with a mortality rate of 53%. A few months later, the second Ebola virus emerged from Yambuku, Zaire, Ebola-Zaire (EBOZ). EBOZ, with the highest mortality rate of any of the Ebola viruses (88%), infected 318 people. Despite the tremendous effort of experienced and dedicated researchers, Ebola’s natural reservoir was never identified. The third strain of Ebola, Ebola Reston (EBOR), was first identified in 1989 when infected monkeys were imported into Reston, Virginia, from Mindanao in the Philippines. Fortunately, the few people who were infected with EBOR (seroconverted) never developed Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF). The last known strain of Ebola, Ebola Cote d’Ivoire (EBO-CI) was discovered in 1994 when a female ethologist performing a necropsy on a dead chimpanzee from the Tai Forest, Cote d’Ivoire, accidentally infected herself during the necropsy.
So research and by inference, working on a cure / vaccine has been happening since at least 1990 and perhaps sooner. So, twenty to twenty-five years a small group of people have been working on a cure in one form or another.
You should read the book “Hot Spot” by Richard Patterson. It goes into a lot of detail about how the ebola virus was discovered and how they work to come up with the “code” to how it destroys cells. It is a fascinating read.
The genetic splicing that goes into the “cure” is complex and interesting. I think they work on this stuff all of the time—they just don’t spend a ton of resources on it because the outbreaks are usually small and therefore, there is no capitalist motivation to fix them.
My guess, and it is only a guess, is that the people working on this “cure” were doing it because the Ebola is just about the hardest virus to crack—if you beat that, the rest are “easy.” Think of code breakers spending their time working on a new way to break the most complex code.
Also, I think it naive to believe that the Army would not be working on a vaccine in their labs as even the simplest defensive measure.
As one observer noted, the Gov’t doesn’t weaponize a viral strain without simultaneously developing a vaccine and/or cure for it. Because....they don’t want to be left without protection for the chosen elites.
However, this strain of Ebola isn’t the weaponized version. They’re still working on that.
I think its called Hot Zone...
Yes...you are right. Not sure what the heck I was thinking of.
Great book.
yeah I read that years ago, scary, I may have to dig it out again and read it...
Big Pharma wants to sell Ebola Vaccinations to every American citizen down at your local drug store.
To make that happen, they first have to scare us.
Obama will get his cut (and arrange for an Ebola outbreak on US soil; mandatory enforcement; and government payment for the “poor”).
“Where would you test such a serum?”
Finding human guinea pigs has NEVER been problem, ever.
Maybe you might have a little trouble finding anyone who would willingly contract the disease to test a serum.
“Maybe you might have a little trouble finding anyone who would willingly contract the disease to test a serum.”
How about unwillingly?
I get livid when the cashier coughs or sneezes and then hands me my change.
So you think what?...maybe the pharma companies are driving around at night snatching people off the streets to test new drugs on them or let them die of a really nasty disease?
Dude. Really.
They develop these flu shots every year...almost instantly.
thank you!!
The only way to test a serum in humans (or a vaccine) would be to wait for an outbreak.
Then too, there is variance between this variety of Ebola and known varieties of roughly 3%, which can be significant. (That's roughly the variance between human and chimp DNA)
This is apparently a new (or formerly unknown) and more lethal form.
Poison gas was not used during World War 2 (except in the extermination camps.) Have you ever wondered why not? Both sides had it. Both sides produced modern stockpiles and delivery weapons. But neither used it. The use was attendant with numerous problems neither side wanted to deal with. On the battlefield it could kill both sides regardless of who used it. In the enemys cities it would result in retaliation in kind. There are similar problems with any bioweapon, but multiplied exponentially. Only somebody who wanted the potential to kill equal numbers of their own people would use bioweapons. When Ebola first appeared Iran sent doctors who took specimens and then went home. They are an apocalyptic culture. Will they use it? Probably. But its not that easily weaponized. As it transfers now, by contaminated body fluids, it is hardly a massive menace. Now if they crossed it with an airborne flu, yes, it has the potential to wipe out 80% or so of the worlds populace. So, most likely it hasnt been weaponized. If it was, then it was done so that a cure could be developed. As for having a cure but not releasing it, unlikely. First, a cure takes lots of research. Papers would be written as youd have to kill a scientist to keep him from publishing something that could get him a Nobel Prize. Also, its expensive to productionize a cure. Generally, you have to build an entire plant. And youd only do that after the FDA approved the cure, which may take years and billions of dollars. What theyve got now is a treatment which, apparently, has limitations. (Typically, a treatment must be used within x days of infection or its too late.) While I dont trust anything our present government says, I doubt that if they had a cure theyd keep it secret. The headline would read, Obama develops cure to Ebola; saves world.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if there's a cure for the chosen ones. The problem for them would be if the virus mutates into something their cure doesn't solve.
It must be almost time for those who can to retreat to the islands, mountain tops, gated estates etc.
Right now, there is an opportunity to test a vaccine (overseas), given that regional superstitions can be overcome. As far as testing on humans in the US who have not been infected, the tests would only prove they did not die from the vaccine or have other serious side effects.
Considering the levels of testing to take any new drug from lab to release, allowing the drugs to be used, even experimentally at this point on humans is fast-tracking.
Now, would you volunteer? (I'll take my chances at this point and not.)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.