Zika was noteworthy before it hit the United States, but now that it has shown up locally in Florida and cases continue to spread, calls for action have multiplied.
For weeks, Democrats and Republicans have been at odds over funding, with demands coming from numerous people to end this summer's Congressional recess early to address the virus. Just yesterday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced its $4.1 million agreement with Massachusetts-based Hologic to develop a better blood test to screen for Zika.
Of course, knowing if a patient has Zika is vital information, but what is a physician to do once the results come back positive?
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The World Health Organization says that right now, there are 30 vaccines in development to thwart Zika. Until last week, we hadn't heard much about their viability. But, at least two of these antidotes are currently in human trials already, with another just announced last week that proved effective in quelling a specific strain of the Zika virus in monkeys and mice. Its human testing is set to begin in October.
Despite the major strides made in a short amount of time, there seems to be one important player missing from the equation: Big Pharma.
According to PBS, of the 30 vaccines being worked on, only two have backing from major manufacturers. One is under the partnership of GlaxoSmithKline and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, but PBS notes its method is "new, untested, and not likely to race to market."
Most of the legwork is being done by smaller biotech companies in the U.S. and Brazil, one of the countries most affected by Zika (as mentioned ad nauseam leading up to this year's Olympics). Although a buzzy word like "biotech" may breed confidence for a quick answer to the virus, the truth is these firms often lack the resources — both financial and brainpower — to create a licensed-for-use drug.
So why the reluctance for Big Pharma to jump on board?
History.
SARS. Ebola. West Nile. H1N1.
According to PBS, the pharmaceutical companies have been spread thin by investments in these previous epidemics — which in the case of H1N1 and Ebola, turned out to be less widespread than anticipated — and they have seen little or no return on revenue because of it.
According to Dr. Rip Ballou, the head of the U.S. research and development center for GSK Global Vaccines, "We cannot continue to do business like this in the future. It's too disruptive. There has to be a better way of doing it."
The hesitation for more government funding also has many companies biding their time before diving in on the search for a vaccine. With funds running out and little movement on the GOP side, it's hard to keep playmakers engaged, according to Rick Bright, director for influenza and emerging infectious disease for HHS' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
At the end of the day, Big Pharma has "big" in its name for a reason. If funds remain stagnant and profitability seems unattainable, there is little hope we'll see a Zika vaccine in the near future.
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