How can we make safer and more effective decisions regarding malaria treatment in the SUS?
💊 Drugs such as tafenoquine and primaquine, used to treat malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax, can cause complications in patients with a deficiency of an enzyme called G6PD; therefore, pre-treatment testing is essential.
A new study analyzes the impact of expanding this testing in the SUS, especially for children and adolescents, and evaluates the use of a single-dose tafenoquine.
🔎 The results show that, although incorporating these technologies represents an additional cost of approximately R$ 12.5 million over 5 years, it can reduce hospitalizations and disease recurrences.
In addition, testing contributes to safer care and can expand access to more effective treatments, including for more vulnerable populations, such as underweight children.