Will a global subsidy of new antimalarials delay the emergence of resistance and save lives?
Artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs) are seen as an important tool in the global effort to roll back malaria. With parasite resistance to chloroquine increasing rapidly in many parts of the world, there is greater recognition of the need for a globally coordinated strategy to ensure that artemisinins are not used as monotherapy, which has the potential to cut short their useful therapeutic life. We find that even a partial subsidy could delay the emergence of resistance and that a delay in implementing a subsidy for ACTs could facilitate the emergence of resistance and lower the economic value of ACTs.
Laxminarayan
Ramanan
R
Resources for the Future in Washington, DC, USA. Ramanan@rff.org
Over
Mead
M
Smith
David L
DL
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000191:economics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000191:economics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016527:Drug Costs; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005381:Financing, Organized; D014943:Global Health; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017059:Models, Econometric; D015969:National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, U.S., Health and Medicine Division; D010965:Plasmodium malariae / Q000187:drug effects*; D014481:United States; D026712:Value of Life / Q000191:economics
D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins