Impure Politics and Pure Science: Efficacious Ebola Medications Are Only a Palliation and Not a Cure for Structural Disadvantage.

The authors comment on an article about the use of randomized controlled trials (RCT) for experimental treatments for Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa, by A. Caplan, C. Plunkett and B. Levin which was published within the issue. Topics mentioned include the usefulness of RCT over other trial designs, the hindering factors for the development of effective interventions for EVD, and the different approaches to understanding infectious diseases like Ebola.