scholarly journals THE TRAGEDY CAUSED BY FAKE ANTIMALARIAL DRUGS

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e2012027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Ambroise-Thomas

Counterfeit antimalarials (mainly artemisinin derivatives) is a crucial health problem in developing countries, particularly in Africa. The illegal production, sale and distribution of fake drugs is a huge market evaluated to several billion of dollars and represents more than 50% of the pharmaceutical market in several African countries. Fake drugs have led to a very great number of deaths from untreated malaria or fatality provoked by toxic ingredients. These fake medicines increase the risk of artemisinin resistance developed by the use of sub therapeutic dosages of antimalarials. Tackling this criminal traffic is the objective of an international  programme created by WHO  and involves the international police and custom organizations like INTERPOL. Several very important and encouraging results have been obtained, but the problem will be completely solved if genuine antimalarials, free-of-charge, are handed-over to populations in sub Sahara African countries.  

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-65
Author(s):  
Tapiwa V. Warikandwa ◽  
Patrick C. Osode

The incorporation of a trade-labour (standards) linkage into the multilateral trade regime of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been persistently opposed by developing countries, including those in Africa, on the grounds that it has the potential to weaken their competitive advantage. For that reason, low levels of compliance with core labour standards have been viewed as acceptable by African countries. However, with the impact of WTO agreements growing increasingly broader and deeper for the weaker and vulnerable economies of developing countries, the jurisprudence developed by the WTO Panels and Appellate Body regarding a trade-environment/public health linkage has the potential to address the concerns of developing countries regarding the potential negative effects of a trade-labour linkage. This article argues that the pertinent WTO Panel and Appellate Body decisions could advance the prospects of establishing a linkage of global trade participation to labour standards without any harm befalling developing countries.


1991 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 1037-1041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orlin Petrov ◽  
Iliya Ognyanov

The conversion of artemisinin (I) to the epoxide V and its use for the preparation of novel artemisinin derivatives as potential antimalarial drugs is described.


2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Theerayot Kobasa ◽  
Eldin Talundzic ◽  
Rungniran Sug-aram ◽  
Patcharida Boondat ◽  
Ira F. Goldman ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is the most effective and widely used treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria and is a cornerstone for malaria control and prevention globally. Resistance to artemisinin derivatives has been confirmed in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and manifests as slow parasite clearance in patients and reduced ring stage susceptibility to artemisinins in survival assays. The P. falciparum kelch13 gene mutations associated with artemisinin-resistant parasites are now widespread in the GMS. We genotyped 277 samples collected during an observational study from 2012 to 2016 from eight provinces in Thailand to identify P. falciparum kelch13 mutations. The results were combined with previously reported genotyping results from Thailand to construct a map illustrating the evolution of P. falciparum kelch13 mutations from 2007 to 2016 in that country. Different mutant alleles were found in strains with different geographical origins. The artemisinin resistance-conferring Y493H and R539T mutations were detected mainly in eastern Thailand (bordering Cambodia), while P574L was found only in western Thailand and R561H only in northwestern Thailand. The C580Y mutation was found across the entire country and was nearing fixation along the Thai-Cambodia border. Overall, the prevalence of artemisinin resistance mutations increased over the last 10 years across Thailand, especially along the Thai-Cambodia border. Molecular surveillance and therapeutic efficacy monitoring should be intensified in the region to further assess the extent and spread of artemisinin resistance.


De Jure ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivelina Aleksandrova ◽  
◽  
◽  

The article reveals the national features and regulatory trends in the licensing of pharmacies abroad. The general trends of state regulation of the pharmaceutical market are summarized. Some specific advanced methods and tools of pharmaceutical state regulation are being considered in developing countries.


Author(s):  
Anindita Sen ◽  
Parthajit Banerjee ◽  
Devarati Dutta ◽  
Manas Pal ◽  
Atanu Ray ◽  
...  

Objective: Brucellosis- one of the major zoonotic diseases, still remains an uncontrolled problem, in regions of high endemicity. Ophthalmic brucellosis is not studied and overlooked in most developing countries.  Considering the severe outcome of undiagnosed ophthalmic brucellosis, in this paper we made attempts to find out whether this disease still remains a health problem in a South East Asian developing country, where study of this disease is largely neglected.  Methods This study was carried out over a one year period from January 2015 to December 2015. Blood samples were collected from clinically confirmed cases of uveitis and they were subjected to five serological and one genus specific molecular investigations, for the detection of Brucella infection.Results Out of 20 uveitis cases, 4 (20%) cases confirmed as brucellar uveitis, by serological tests followed by PCR confirmation. After treatment of brucellosis all the four patients were recovered uneventfully.Conclusion: Brucella infection involving the eye is still a significant problem in South East Asian countries; hence in all uveitis cases in this reason brucellosis should be excluded by available laboratory tests.Government of India (Dept. of Biotechnology the major zoonotic diseases, still remains an uncontrolled problem, in regions of high endemicity. Ophthalmic brucellosis is not studied and overlooked in most developing countries.  Considering the severe outcome of undiagnosed ophthalmic brucellosis, in this paper we made attempts to find out whether this disease still remains a health problem in a South East Asian developing country, where study of this disease is largely neglected.   Methods This study was carried out over a one year period from January 2015 to December 2015. Blood samples were collected from clinically confirmed cases of uveitis and they were subjected to five serological and one genus specific molecular investigations, for the detection of Brucella infection.Results Out of 20 uveitis cases, 4 (20%) cases confirmed as brucellar uveitis, by serological tests followed by PCR confirmation. After treatment of brucellosis all the four patients were recovered uneventfully.Conclusion: Brucella infection involving the eye is still a significant problem in South East Asian countries; hence in all uveitis cases in this reason brucellosis should be excluded by available laboratory tests.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Malebakeng Forere

AbstractWhereas developed countries were the main players in the GATT dispute settlement mechanism, the era of the WTO saw a sharp increase in the developing countries’ participation in trade disputes. Thus, developing countries are active complainants and defendants in the WTO dispute settlement processes. Nevertheless, African states are still marginalised, and this situation has attracted attention of many scholars. As a result, scholars in the field have come up with many reasons to explain why African states do not appear as either complainants or respondents. The reasons for Africa’s non-participation have been argued to include cost of WTO litigation relative to the gains, low trade volumes, legal knowledge and non-integration of African countries in the WTO system. This article seeks to contribute to the existing literature on Africa’s non-participation in the WTO dispute settlement. The goal in this article is to confirm or dispel assumptions that African states have interests that they need to safeguard through dispute settlement but are inhibited from doing so because of the reasons mentioned above. Unlike other studies, the determination on Africa’s non-participation in the WTO dispute settlement will be approached from African states’ participation in intra-Africa RTA dispute settlement mechanisms. While there are six intra-Africa RTAs notified to the WTO, this work focuses on only two – East African Community and Southern Africa Development Community.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanuel Mulugeta ◽  
Atsede Assefa ◽  
Atsede Eshetie ◽  
Birhanie Asmare ◽  
Meseret Birhanie ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Malaria is disease caused by plasmodium species and transmitted by the bite of female anopheles mosquito. Globally, it is still the major public health problem that causes morbidity and mortality especially in tropical and sub-tropical African countries including Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to assess the Six year trend of malaria at University of Gondar Specialized Referral Hospital, northwest Ethiopia, from 2014-2019Method: A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the laboratory registration logbook at University of Gondar Specialized Referral Hospital by using data extraction tool. The data was analysized by SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the socio-demographic characteristics of study participants and presented by graphs, tables and texts. The binary logistic regression was also used test the association of trend of malaria and different factors like sex, age, year, and season. Result: From a total 17,500 malaria suspected patients, 1341 (7.7%) were confirmed for malaria and (47.2%), (45.6%) and (7.2%) were P.vivax, P. falciparum and mixed infection, respectively. P.vivax was the predominant species in the first three years and P. falciparum became the predominant species in the last three years. The trend prevalence was showed a fluctuated significantly decrement. It decreased by 68%, 60% and 69% in the year of 2017, 2018 and 2019 compare to 2014, respectively. The positivity rate were significantly higher in the males (1.41 times higher) than females. It was also significantly higher in lower age groups compare to the older age groups (> 54 years old). It was 1.60, 1.64, 2.45 and 1.82 times higher in the age group of < 5, 5-14, 15-24 and 25-54 years old, respectively.Conclusion: There has been a significant declining trend of malaria in the study area. However, it is still a major health problem and requires extra efforts for further reduction. Even, autumn was the season when the highest peak of malaria cases in was observed, there was high fluctuation from year to year. Therefore, control activities should be continued and strengthened manner in the study area considering these variability.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1273
Author(s):  
Océane Delandre ◽  
Mathieu Gendrot ◽  
Isabelle Fonta ◽  
Joel Mosnier ◽  
Nicolas Benoit ◽  
...  

Background: Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) was recommended to treat uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Unlike the situation in Asia where resistance to ACT has been reported, artemisinin resistance has not yet emerged in Africa. However, some rare failures with ACT or patients continuing to be parasitaemic on day 3 after ACT treatment have been reported in Africa or in travellers returning from Africa. Three mutations (G50E, R100K, and E107V) in the pfcoronin gene could be responsible for artemisinin resistance in Africa. Methods: The aims of this study were first to determine the prevalence of mutations in the pfcoronin gene in African P. falciparum isolates by Sanger sequencing, by targeting the 874 samples collected from patients hospitalised in France after returning from endemic areas in Africa between 2018 and 2019, and secondly to evaluate their association with in vitro reduced susceptibility to standard quinoline antimalarial drugs, including chloroquine, quinine, mefloquine, desethylamodiaquine, lumefantrine, piperaquine, and pyronaridine. Results: The three mutations in the pfcoronin gene (50E, 100K, and 107V) were not detected in the 874 P. falciparum isolates. Current data show that another polymorphism (P76S) is present in many countries of West Africa (mean prevalence of 20.7%) and Central Africa (11.9%) and, rarely, in East Africa (4.2%). This mutation does not appear to be predictive of in vitro reduced susceptibility to quinolines, including artemisinin derivative partners in ACT such as amodiaquine, lumefantrine, piperaquine, pyronaridine, and mefloquine. Another mutation (V62M) was identified at low prevalence (overall prevalence of 1%). Conclusions: The 76S mutation is present in many African countries with a prevalence above 10%. It is reassuring that this mutation does not confer in vitro resistance to ACT partners.


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