London Hospital Pioneers anti-Malaria Treatment

Early research by St George’s, University of London has laid the foundations for a new anti-malariaA serious disease caused by parasitic protozoa called plasmodia. treatment that could save millions of lives. Malaria causes more than a million deaths a year, with 90% of all cases occurring in Africa. St George’s researchers carried out one of the first trials of a rectally-delivered drug called ‘artesunate’ on children with malaria and have proven that rectal artesunate could halve the rate of malaria death and permanent disability in remote rural areas of Africa and Asia.

More trials will be required before the drug can be licensed for use and then there will be the usual complications of ensuring that the treatment is available to those who need it.

Read the full article which was published today in the Lancet.