Making malaria-treatment policy in the face of drug resistance.
The threat, development, spread, and intensification of antimalarial drug resistance are posing tremendous challenges to malaria-control activities throughout the world. Fundamental aspects of these activities are the identification and promotion of safe and effective therapy for acute malarial illness. A major tool in providing guidance on appropriate therapy is the national malaria-therapy policy, which describes antimalarial drugs available for use in a given country, their relative efficacy, and how best to use them in a variety of settings, from the community to the referral hospital. This review describes some of the factors that need to be considered in the development of a national, antimalarial drug policy as well as those that have impeded timely development of national policies, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
Bloland
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PB
Malaria Epidemiology Section, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. pbb1@cdc.gov
Ettling
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D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003153:Community Health Services; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care
D000962:Antimalarials; D002738:Chloroquine