SAN FRANCISCO– It’s possible that the HIV drug lamivudine (Epivir) truly is helpful for Ebola, according to epidemiologist George W. Rutherford, head of the division of prevention medicine and public health at the University of California, San Francisco.
He and his colleagues are gearing up to study the drug, in the wake of anecdotal reports suggesting that it might help. In vitro testing for Ebola is already underway.
In this video interview, Dr. Rutherford shares his thoughts on the drug as a treatment for the infection. He also explains the current thinking on another potential Ebola treatment, ZMapp, at the American Psychiatric Association Institute on Psychiatric Services meeting.