E-DRUG: Pediatric antiretrovirals: Operational research
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Dear e-druggers:
This is a follow-up to an e-drug thread on "pediatric formulations" that
arose sometime in February this year.
We know about the limited treatment options currently available to
HIV-infected children and the challenges to adherence faced by them and
their families. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that caregivers are
splitting ARVs and/or grinding them up as a crude way of 'dosing'.
What is the evidence? What meds are being "split"? Triomume? Others?
I am attempting to collect whatever "hard" evidence or anecdotal evidence
exists and wonder if people would be willing to submit actual citations,
stories, web blog sites, persons to contact etc. regarding this practice.
Given the relative lack of pediatric HIV "rollout" anyway, is this practice
not really that widespread? Even if not currently widespread, is it
sufficiently ingrained in care-giver behaviours that it might become an
issue going forward?
Thanks for any help.
Warren Kaplan, Ph.D, JD, MPH
Center for International Health and Development
Boston University School of Public Health
85 E. Concord St.
Boston, MA 02118
ph. 617: 414- 1152
fax. 617: 414- 1261
Warren Kaplan <wak@bu.edu>
alternative e mail: wak22@comcast.net