INTRO: A group of volunteers in the UK have just been given their final test injections as part of a major trial to find a vaccine for Ebola…
Scientists at Oxford University are recruiting a total of 72 participants.
It's the second such vaccine to be tested in the city - and it's hoped it will be available in West Africa by the middle of this year.
Our UK correspondent Dan Whitehead reports…
IN: 25-year-old…
OUT: …SOC, Oxford.
DUR: 2'00"
ARN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0129ebola-pkg-dw-arn.mp3
FM4: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0129ebola-pkg-dw-fm4.mp3
ICRT: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0129ebola-pkg-dw-icrt.mp3
NIGERIA: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0129ebola-pkg-dw-von.mp3
RNZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0129ebola-pkg-dw-rnz.mp3
VATICAN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0129ebola-pkg-dw-vatican.mp3
ZIZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0129ebola-pkg-dw-ziz.mp3
GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0129ebola-pkg-dw-generic.mp3
VO 1: 25-year-old Susanne is one of the first volunteers to take part in this trial, hoping to play her part in the battle against Ebola.
She's part of 4 groups of 18 people involved in testing the vaccine at Oxford University, which in initial tests on monkeys gave complete protection against virus.
With the world's experts watching on, Dr Matthew Snape from Oxford Vaccine Group says these tests have become everyone's top priority...
CUT 1: Dr Matthew Snape, Oxford Vaccine Group: "No shortcuts have been taken. It has gone through the usual process of ethics committee review, NHS approvals an the MHRA approvals, but it's been put to the top of everyone's list if you like and it is prioritised."
VO 2: Firstly Susanne undergoes a full health check, before being taken through to receive the injection.
Trial organisers stress the vaccine can not cause anyone to become infected with Ebola.
After receiving the vaccine - which may be a placebo, she'll undergo several months of close observations."
VO 2: Only a small group of scientists here know which volunteers are being injected with an actual Ebola protein.
The vaccine was developed in Germany and the Netherlands.
Susanne told me why she wanted to take part...
CUT 2: Susanne Kadobinskyj: "One of my colleagues told me about it and it just sounded like a good idea because I think lots of people want to help with the Ebola crisis so it's kind of my small way of helping while I am fit and healthy."
VO 3: The 30-strong team of medical experts - headed up by Dr Snape - say the vaccine should be taken to the next stage within months.
CUT 3: Dr Matthew Snape, Oxford Vaccine Group: "The next step is to take it from these small phase one studies that we are doing now to larger studies that look for direct evidence to whether the vaccine works so that can only be done in the field, in West Africa to be giving it to large numbers of people to see if it protects against disease."
VO 4: Both the scientists and volunteers here hope their vital work will save thousands of lives.
Dan Whitehead, SOC, Oxford.
ENDS