Réseau Pharmaceutique Œcuménique (EPN)

This edition includes:

News

Focus on Resources

HIV/AIDS

Efavirenz-based ART more effective than nevirapine-based ART as

first-line therapy
Studies conducted in South Africa have shown that Efavirenz-based ART appears to reduce HIV viral load more rapidly — and keep it suppressed for a longer time — than nevirapine-based regimens.
http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/87DE007F-DEB9-4FED-B26D-D72EF0B141A5.asp

 
Good responses on PI-based second-line ART regimens even though switch from failing first-line regimens comes late
According to studies conducted by Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) protease inhibitor- (PI) based ART regimens can still be effective as a second-line treatment in resource-limited settings (at least in the short run), even when the switch from first-line therapy comes quite late and when the backbone nucleoside analogue drugs used are sometimes recycled.
http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/627A48E5-1092-498D-9EFE-EDCC7E72543E.asp

 
New treatment breakthrough in resistant strains of HIV
New hope for tens of thousands of patients whose treatment is failing due to resistance to antiretroviral drugs is at hand following the development of two new drugs which have been shown to be highly effective against resistant strains of HIV.http://www.amfar.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/record.html?record=217

High burden of side-effects from d4T leads to WHO dose reduction recommendation
The World Health Organization’s HIV treatment guidelines panel has concluded that the recommended adult dose of d4T (stavudine, Zerit) should be reduced to 30mg twice daily for adults weighing more than 60kg, following a review of a still unpublished meta-analysis of clinical trials. The analysis shows that a 30mg dose is just as effective as a 40mg dose, but carries less risk of side-effects such as peripheral neuropathy.
http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/99BDC190-703D-455E-ADF1-78B76EBDA96B.asp

Rational ART drug forecasting for resource-poor settings
Some of the main reasons for lack of access to medicines in resource-poor settings include weak drug procurement and distribution practices. These are major problems in the face of ART where it is vital to avoid interrupted drug supplies which would lead to drug resistance and treatment failure. Malawi has adapted a model based on its TB Control programme to allow rational ART drug forecasting.

http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/2/06-032060.pdf

TUBERCULOSIS (TB)

Opening windows effective in reducing TB germs

Opening windows can be more effective than using mechanical ventilation to reduce the risk of airborne diseases such as tuberculosis. According to researchers from the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunity and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Clinical Tropical Medicine at Imperial College London, this is especially true in resource-poor settings, where the prevalence of TB is highest, and where preventive measures such as negative-pressure isolation rooms are hardest to implement particularly in hospital waiting rooms and prisons.

http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/Windows_effective_to_reduce_
TB_germs/20070227-050751-7399r/
 
Spraying method proposed in development of TB vaccine

Scientists at the Harvard University have proposed the development of a TB vaccine in form of an aerosol. This is in response to the increasing concerns of TB transmission to HIV positive individuals coupled with the rise in incidences of drug resistance TB. This they say would provide a new low-cost technique that offers needle-free delivery and greater stability at room temperature than existing methods.

http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/spraying_method_developed_for
_tb_vaccine/20070219-034444-2395r/

MALARIA
 
New, one-a-day fixed-dose combination against malaria developed

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) has in collaboration with Sanofi-aventis developed a new drug (ASAQ) for the treatment of malaria. The fixed-dose combination drug is made from artesunate (AS) and amodiaquine (AQ).
http://www.actwithasaq.org/en/asaq1.htm 

New dosing methods for anti-malarials developed

A new test methodology to define age-based dosing regimens for the treatment of malaria has been developed. The approach which has been tested using fixed-dose combination of artesunate and amodiaquine proposes the use of body weight as a more accurate way of dosing antimalarials and other medicines, particularly for children.
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/84/12/06-031492.pdf

Malaria treatment found in blood pressure medicine

Blood pressure medicine could be the new weapon in the fight against malaria, according to research from the Feinberg School of Medicine of the North western University, Chicago. A research group found that propranolol - a kind of drug known as a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure - makes anti-malarial drugs dramatically more effective when the drugs are used together.
http://media.www.dailynorthwestern.com/media/storage/paper853/news/
2007/01/15/Campus/Nu.Researcher.Finds.Malaria.Treatment.In.Common.Drug-2632
551.shtml

FOCUS ON RESOURCES

WEBSITES:

http://www.medilinkz.org is a website for health care deliverers/professionals, policy and decision makers as well as all people who have a need or are interested in health in Africa. It keeps readers informed about aspects of medicine and public health in Africa, including socio-economic, political, ethical, legal, environmental, and cultural issues and works to provide a service that will be available and accessible to all healthcare professionals/ deliverers wherever they maybe.

Managing Drugs and Supplies website

This is a section of the Management Sciences for health website. It gives detailed information on selection, procurement, distribution and use of drugs.
http://erc.msh.org/mainpage.cfm?file=1.0.htm&module=drugs&language=English

REPORTS:

UNAIDS releases ‘practical guidelines for intensifying HIV prevention

The Joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has released guidelines to intensify HIV prevention. The guidelines which are geared towards policy makers and planners at a national level have been developed recognising that universal access is not only about sustaining and increasing access to antiretroviral treatment for those in need, but also to ensure that all people, particularly those most vulnerable to HIV, are able to prevent HIV infection. The guidelines can be viewed at:

http://data.unaids.org/pub/Guidelines/2007/20070306_Prevention_Guidelines_
Towards_Universal_Access%5d.pdf

Quarterly medicines price monitor
Every quarter the Ministries of Health (MoH) in Kenya and Uganda in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI) Africa issue a medicine price monitor. This monitor is a result of information collected on availability, affordability and price variation on a basket of medicines in the public, private and mission sectors in the two countries.
http://www.haiafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=186&Itemid
=107

Engaging religious health assets in resource-poor settings in Zambia and Lesotho
This report documents the contribution made by religion and religious entities to the struggle for health and wellbeing in Zambia and Lesotho. It is based on a study, “Appreciating Assets,” conducted by African Religious Health Assets Programme (ARHAP) in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO). It found that Christian hospitals and health centres are providing about 40% of HIV care and treatment services in Lesotho and almost a third of the HIV/AIDS treatment facilities in Zambia are run by FBOs.

The study calls for a greater appreciation of the potential of Religious Health Assets (RHAs) in the interventions against HIV/AIDS and for universal access to treatment. The report also offers recommendations for action by both public health and religious leaders at all levels.
http://www.arhap.uct.ac.za/research_who.php

COURSES:

Course: ARV Drug Supply Management Training
Venue: Pretoria, South Africa
Dates: 3rd – 16th June, 2007
For more information please email: melinda@aa4a.co.za or beckmannm@aa4a.co.za
View website: http://www.aa4a.co.za

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