E-drug: Re: Malaria and antimalarials (cont)
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This is an interesting debate George. The issue relates really as I see it
to the ability of patients and clinicians to comply with recommendations.
History is not on the side of either using medication reliably. It would be
a tragedy if we lost the artemisinins, which have rescued the situation in
Thailand. Nevertheless, we all see patients who require unusual treatment,
or who have contraindications to existing regimes.
In Thailand I understand that antimalarials may not be sold in the private
sector, and that strict control is maintained on their use. It is doubtful
whether control like this could be exercised in many other countries though,
so we are left with the problem of how to deploy artemisinins in a rational
manner in Africa. What we require are additional combinations to the
existing one - where are the drug companies here?
Dr Stephen Toovey
SAA-Netcare Travel Clinics
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene certified in Clinical
Tropical Medicine and Travellers' Health,
Fellow of the Faculty of Travel Medicine of the Australasian College of
Tropical Medicine,
Aviation Medical Examiner
toovey@travelclinic.co.za
http://www.travelclinic.co.za
http://www.malaria.co.za
P O Box 786692
Sandton
2146
South Africa
Fax: +27-11-883-6152
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