Factsheet - Coartem
Coartem - a WHO approved artemisinin combination therapy (ACT)
- over the last 3 years, 20 countries - 7 of them in Africa - have updated their treatment policies to include ACT as 1st line and 2nd line treatment of malaria.
- GF has become the largest financier of ACT in countries fighting malaria. US$ 30 million has been committed by the Global Fund over five years in approved proposals
- clears parasites from the blood faster than most other antimalarial drugs
- kills gametocytes quickly, helping to reduce transmission
- achieves cure rates of above 95%
- no clinical resistance has been documented for ACT to date
- very few side-effects (side-effect of CQ: hallucinations / of SP: very itchy skin)
- downside: cannot be taken by pregnant women
- downside: not indicated for treating severe malaria, incl cerebral malaria, pulmonary edema or renal failure
- Coartem can be given to small children, but dosage is determined according to the weight of the child and the minimum limit is 5kg - ie the child has to weigh at least 5kg to qualify for the 4 dose regimen (2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon for three days). A paediatric dosage for children below 5kgs is expected by 2007
- still an expensive drug: WHO signed agreement with Novartis to provide a non-profit price, at between $0.90 and $2.40 (child to adult dose), whereas in the private sector it can cost between $7 - $10. Chloroquine costs around $0.20
