paraziquantel - access for poor in Africa

[James Love <love@tap.org>]

  A very interesting paper on problems with the availablity of an important
  pharmaceutical drug is Michael Reich et. al.'s study of paraziquantel. 
  This came out of the Harvard School of Public Health.  The title of the
  report, summary and the "URL" is given below.  jamie
  
    TITLE
  
  International Strategies for Tropical Disease Treatments: Experiences with
  Praziquantel, by Michael R. Reich, Ramesh Govindaraj, Karin Dumbaugh,
  Bong-min Yang, Agness Brinkmann, and Sameh El-Saharty, with the assistance
  of Christopher Mast, and John Norris. 
  
     SUMMARY
  
  This report identifies national and international policies that have
  facilitated or hindered the availability of praziquantel, the drug of
  choice for all forms of schistosomiasis occurring in humans. The report
  gives particular attention to questions of access for people in the
  world's poorest countries in Africa where schistosomiasis is endemic. The
  analysis of praziquantel illustrates more general problems in the design
  of national and international policies for tropical disease products, and
  suggests strategies for future research and action. The report's seven
  chapters are: Chapter 1: Policies for Praziquantel: An Overview; Chapter
  2: Bayer & E. Merck: Discovery and Development of Praziquantel; Chapter 3:
  Shin Poong Pharmaceutical Co.: Process Deve lopment in Korea; Chapter 4: 
  Egyptian International Pharmaceutical Industries Co.: Praziquantel
  Formulation; Chapter 5: The International Supply of Praziquantel; Chapter
  6: Demand for Praziquantel and National Distribution; and Chapter 7:
  Prices and Production Costs for Praziquantel. 
  
  
     URL
  
  http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/Organizations/takemi/pzq/pzq.html
  
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  James Love / love@tap.org / P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036
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