September 03, 2010
This week, a number of media outlets reported on a potentially promising new drug therapy for malaria. While artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) has proven effective against deadly malaria strains, growing concerns about resistance have prompted the search for new drugs and treatment strategies. Take a look at CDDEP s work on multiple first-line therapies (MFT) a compelling approach to slow the evolution of resistance to ACT.
The AP covered a new study finding that a portion of donated anti-malarial medicines are being stolen and sold in private markets in Africa.
PLoS Medicine released a report on the impoverishing effects of drugs in developing countries. The study looked at the costs of salbutamol inhalers (asthma), glibenclamide (diabetes), atenolol (hypertension), and amoxicillin (adult respiratory infection) in 16 low- and middle-income countries and found that a substantial proportion (up to 86%) of the population in the countries studied would be pushed into poverty as a result of purchasing one of the four selected medicines.
A report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality examined the costs of hospital-acquired infections, finding that patients who acquired HAIs stayed in the hospital an average of 19 days longer than those who did not, and incurred treatment costs of about $43,000 more than the original treatment costs.
A few more bits of health news from the past week:
A new micro-needle technology may cut down on infections resulting from vaccinations
A survey of U.S. hospitals reveals screening rates for MRSA
The Washington Post examines at the prevalence of C. diff in hospital settings
