N J Gogtay1, V S Kadam, S Desai, K D Kamtekar, S S Dalvi, N A Kshirsagar. 1. Department of Clinical Pharmacology, 100 Bedded Building, 4th Floor, TN Medical College and BYL Nair Ch. Hospital, Dr AL Nair Road, Mumbai Central, Mumbai-400 008, India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Malaria is a major public health problem representing 2.3% of the overall global disease burden. The cost of treatment of malaria continues to rise as older drugs and insecticides become less effective and are replaced by more effective, but also more expensive products. METHODS: A post-hoc pharmacoeconomic analysis (direct and indirect costs only) of three antimalarials, chloroquine, mefloquine and co-artemether, was carried out to address the problem of switch to a more expensive first-line antimalarial in the face of growing chloroquine resistance. RESULTS: From the perspective of a large public hospital, it was seen that in an area of high grade chloroquine resistance, the total expenditure on patients who fail chloroquine would exceed the excess expenditure on mefloquine when the RII + RIII resistance exceeded 9%. CONCLUSIONS: Switch to a more expensive drug like mefloquine as a first-line option would be cost-effective when the moderate-severe chloroquine resistance exceeded 9%.
BACKGROUND:Malaria is a major public health problem representing 2.3% of the overall global disease burden. The cost of treatment of malaria continues to rise as older drugs and insecticides become less effective and are replaced by more effective, but also more expensive products. METHODS: A post-hoc pharmacoeconomic analysis (direct and indirect costs only) of three antimalarials, chloroquine, mefloquine and co-artemether, was carried out to address the problem of switch to a more expensive first-line antimalarial in the face of growing chloroquine resistance. RESULTS: From the perspective of a large public hospital, it was seen that in an area of high grade chloroquine resistance, the total expenditure on patients who fail chloroquine would exceed the excess expenditure on mefloquine when the RII + RIII resistance exceeded 9%. CONCLUSIONS: Switch to a more expensive drug like mefloquine as a first-line option would be cost-effective when the moderate-severe chloroquine resistance exceeded 9%.
Authors: Naman K Shah; Gajender P S Dhillon; Adtiya P Dash; Usha Arora; Steven R Meshnick; Neena Valecha Journal: Lancet Infect Dis Date: 2011-01 Impact factor: 25.071
Authors: Wendy A Davis; Philip M Clarke; Peter M Siba; Harin A Karunajeewa; Carol Davy; Ivo Mueller; Timothy M E Davis Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2011-02-01 Impact factor: 9.408