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# #theBrief: Why isn't there a cure for the MERS virus?

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/WUoCS89d.m3u8" -->
## Video: #theBrief: Why isn't there a cure for the MERS virus?

[Watch (HLS stream): #theBrief: Why isn't there a cure for the MERS virus?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/WUoCS89d.m3u8) (1:30)

![#theBrief: Why isn't there a cure for the MERS virus?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/WUoCS89d/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2015-06-18. A cure for MERS just isn't profitable._


---

Jul 27, 2023 6:26 PM UTC

---

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---


## Transcript

[ MUSIC ] IN South Korea, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, MERS, has infected at least 150 people, and has killed at least 20. There still isn't a vaccine to cure it. And there might not be for a very long time. This. is your brief. MERS is a virus similar to SARS and easily confused with the flu or common cold. The disease was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and since then has shown up in 25 different countries. But there are three key reasons there are no vaccines for it First, big pharmaceutical firms don't see an economic benefit. Relatively not a lot of people have died from the disease, and there's just no guaranteed market or commercial incentive.

Secondly, it's expensive. Human testing is costly and scientists estimate it could cost close to $ 1 billion To find a cure. And the last challenge, it could take a really long time. In the US, once a vaccine gets approved, there's still a chance it could get pulled off of shelves if the FDA officials find harmful side effects. That process could take years and hundreds of millions of dollars In essence, a MERS vaccine is not cost- effective, and won't be until there's a larger outbreak.

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