Julian Bell

Mr. Drayton
Health
9 February 2015

Experimental Drug: ZMapp

The recent explosion of the Ebola virus has claimed numerous West African and
American lives. Therefore, scientists have developed experimental drugs, such as ZMapp, in
order to combat the often lethal illness. ZMapp has been considered the most reliable drug in
combatting the Ebola virus despite the persistent ambiguity surrounding its effectiveness. Many
of the few individuals that were treated with ZMapp have survived further complications
associated with the deadly virus. However, experts are still unsure as to how effective the
experimental ZMapp is, considering that scientists have not conducted controlled experiments in
order to test the effectiveness or safety of the drug. In fact, the only attempt to discover the
effectiveness of ZMapp has entailed its usage on monkeys afflicted with the Ebola virus in which
43% of the monkeys survived. Another primary source for the present ambiguity surrounding
the effectiveness of experimental ZMapp resides in the notion that due to other factors such as
genetics as well as the varying levels of exposure to the virus, there does not exist a way to fully
understand whether or not the drug produces drastic changes in Ebola victims. ZMapp is derived
from tobacco plants and was utilized as a combatant against Ebola through Mapp
Biopharmaceuticals production of the drug.

ZMapp contains antibodies which chemically

combine with the Ebola virus inside a persons body. I deem the above information reliable
based on the following pieces of evidence:
1. The three resources in which I utilized to gather the above information are news articles
based on well- known agencies (CBS Newsetc.)
2. The resources contain in them relevant quotations said by authorities on the Ebola virus
and experimental ZMapp.
3. None of the three resources contradict each other and instead express complimentary
ideas that aided in the composition of the above paragraph.
4. The diction utilized in each of the articles seemed professional as well as interesting to
the reader.
5. The information presented in the articles is consistent with news broadcasts that have
covered the Ebola Virus in 2014.