EPN - Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network

This edition includes:

News

Life threatening blood dyscrasias with oral terbinafine
HIV/AIDS
Tuberculosis (TB)
Malaria

Focus on Resources

Websites
Reports
Newsletters
Books
Courses

NEWS

Life threatening blood dyscrasias with oral terbinafine

Oral terbinafine (Lamisil) is indicated for severe ringworm unresponsive to topical treatment and onychomycosis in adults. Prescribers should be aware that there are three serious, albeit rare, reactions associated with oral terbinafine - white blood cell disorders, severe skin reactions and severe hepatotoxicity. These reactions have not been reported with topical forms of terbinafine (Lamisil cream or gel). Patients taking terbinafine for longer than a month should be advised to be alert for any symptoms of possible infection/neutropenia, such as fever, sore throat or mouth ulcers. Total white blood cell count and neutrophil count should be checked if symptoms develop since a delay in diagnosis is likely to be associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality.

http://www.tga.gov.au/adr/aadrb/aadr0608.htm#a3

HIV/AIDS

TB drug could help reduce by half child deaths from AIDS-related illnesses

A study conducted at the University of Cape Town in South Africa has shown that the TB drug Isoniazid® (INH) can halve the number of deaths due to AIDS related illnesses for HIV-positive children, regardless of whether they are exposed to TB or not.  The study observed a 50 per cent reduction in the number of deaths and a 70 per cent reduction in the number of TB cases among the 263 children who took part in the study. However debates are rife as to whether this could cause resistance to TB.

http://www.pharma-lexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=57344   

Antenatal cotrimoxazole prophylaxis leads to cost-effective reduction in preterm delivery and neonatal mortality

A relatively inexpensive intervention such as cotrimoxazole prophylaxis can improve maternal health for HIV-infected women. Cotrimoxazole (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) prophylaxis has been show to significantly reduce preterm deliveries, neonatal mortality and clinical chorionamnionitis in women with CD4 counts lower than 100cells/mm³.

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/A94FB30D-0E06-49C3-8B9F-54F5DB74E457.asp

TUBERCULOSIS (TB)

Fast, accurate and easy TB test developed

An international team of researchers has developed a new test for tuberculosis (TB) that is faster and more accurate than the current “gold standard" tests. A study conducted in Lima, Peru, found that a microscopic-observation drug-susceptibility (MODS) test on sputum samples not only detected the presence of TB more accurately and faster than the two tests in standard use, but was also able to determine, with a high degree of sensitivity, if a patient was infected with drug-resistant TB.

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/D34B367A-8A20-4C6A-8E25-B4400168E920.asp  

MALARIA:

Return of chloroquine antimalarial efficacy

An article in the New England Journal of Medicine {November 9^th 2006 Volume 355 Number 19} contains a report from Malawi showing that if chloroquine is discontinued for a decade or so in a given area, the malaria parasite evolves to the point where it once again becomes susceptible to the drug's action. The genetic mutation that confers resistance makes the parasite somewhat weaker overall.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/355/19/1959

FOCUS ON RESOURCES

WEBSITES:

India patents website

This website is a searchable database of patent applications in India. It is also possible to see what patents have been granted.

 http://india.bigpatents.org/  

REPORTS:

UNAIDS Report - December 2006

UNAIDS has published its latest report on the AIDS epidemic. The report gives the latest statistics of people living with HIV, new HIV infections in 2006 and deaths caused by complications from HIV/AIDS in 2006.  The report is available from the web-link below:

http://www.aids-kampagne.de/l8mimages/unaids2006_epiupdate_en.pdf

Guidelines for clinicians on the treatment of malaria

These guidelines are in three reports:

∙ Reporting, epidemiology, evaluation and diagnosis
∙ General approach and treatment of uncomplicated malaria
∙ Alternatives for pregnant women and treatment of severe malaria

The full reports are available at:

http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/diagnosis_treatment/tx_clinicians.htm

A summary of the three reports can be accessed on:

http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/pdf/clinicalguidance.pdf

NEWSLETTERS:

HRH Global Resource Centre Newsletter

This monthly newsletter provides information on the latest resources, improvements and news on human resources for health (HRH). The first edition of the newsletter can be viewed at http://www.hrhresourcecenter.org/node/731.

To subscribe to the newsletter visit www.hrhresourcecenter.org

BOOKS

Developing pharmacy practice - A focus on patient care

This WHO hand-book defines good pharmacy practice and presents a step-wise approach to pharmaceutical care within a general practice environment anywhere in the world. The overarching message of the book is that where medicines are used for the greatest possible benefit of each individual patient and of society as a whole, the result will be in improvements in health as well as cost savings. For more details please visit:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/new/2006/nw05/en/index.html

COURSES:

ARV Drug Supply Management training course

The objective of this course is to provide training in the areas of; planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the procurement and supply management of ARV delivery projects. It is aimed at ARV program managers, physicians, pharmacists, health systems managers, procurement and distribution managers. The course seeks to:

∙Expose participants to issues specific to planning the procurement & distribution of ARVs
∙Provide program managers with skills in program planning and management, and to teach them how to apply those skills in their own country
∙Provide practical tools to decision-makers in essential drugs programs to improve their level of performance
∙Exchange views and experiences amongst senior decision-makers

The training courses will be offered on the following dates in 2007:
∙ 11^th March – 24^th March 2007
∙ 3^rd June – 16^th June 2007
∙ 2^nd Sept – 15^th Sept 2007
∙ 18^th Nov – 1^st Dec 2007

For additional information, please visit:
www.aa4a.co.za or contact: E-mail: melinda@aa4a.co.za or beckmannm@aa4a.co.za

ARV Policy, Adherence, and Program Management course

Venue: Boston, Massachusetts - USA

Dates: 16^th – 27^th July 2007

For more information and an application, please contact Sarah Petty at spetty@bu.edu  Tel: (+1) 617-638-5234

European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health

This congress will seek to create a platform where all issues concerning global health including public health, clinical tropical medicine, health economics, poverty, basic science, diagnostics and therapeutics may be addressed. The theme for the congress is Partnership and Innovation in Global Health, expressing the need for collaboration to develop the quality of global health and achieve some of the Millennium Development Goals

Dates: 24^th – 28^th May 2007
For more information please visit: http://www.trop-amsterdam2007.com/

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