Democratic Republic of the Congo begins Ebola vaccine trial

A clinical trial has commenced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to test the efficacy of the Ervebo vaccine against the Bundibugyo Ebola virus. The study, known as BRAVO, began on September 19, 2026, in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province.

While the Ervebo vaccine has proven highly effective against the Zaire Ebola virus, it has not been specifically approved for the Bundibugyo variant, which is responsible for the current outbreak. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has mandated that its use must occur within a research protocol.

The trial will monitor approximately 20,000 frontline healthcare workers and essential personnel in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces over a period of nine to 12 months. The research is led by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Epicentre, in collaboration with the DRC Ministry of Health, Africa CDC, and the National Institute of Biomedical Research.