Unit-dose packaged drugs for treating malaria

Abstract

Malaria is a parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and South America. Millions of people are infected with malaria each year. It is thought that packaging a course of treatment in units of a single dose may better ensure the correct dosage is taken, thus increasing the success of treatment. The review found insufficient good quality evidence from randomized controlled trials to determine if unit-dose packaging of drugs saves lives, but there is some indication that it might improve treatment adherence. More research is needed