BIO: Secretary Burwell’s PREP Act Declaration Will Advance Ebola Vaccine Development

Declaration will ease liability concerns for Ebola vaccine development

Washington, D.C. (December 9, 2014) – The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) applauds today’s declaration by Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act which will help advance the development and availability of experimental Ebola vaccines. The declaration provides immunity under U.S. law against legal claims related to the manufacturing, testing, development, distribution and administration of three experimental Ebola vaccines.

“Managing risks related to product liability is always a top concern when developing an experimental medicine,” said BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood. “Secretary Burwell’s declaration today reducing that liability in the United States is an important step forward in facilitating the development of vaccines which could help curb the current Ebola crisis and prevent future outbreaks.”

“I applaud Secretary Burwell’s leadership and hope that other nations will follow suit by putting in place liability protections that would encourage Ebola vaccine developers to continue moving forward as expeditiously as possible.”

For more information about Secretary Burwell’s declaration, please visit http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2014pres/12/20141209a.html

For more information about the PREP Act, please visit http://www.phe.gov/preparedness/legal/prepact/pages/default.aspx

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