May 27, 2010
The Question
What are the economic consequences of replacing chloroquine with either ACTs or SP, and what is the optimal treatment strategy in the face of drug resistance?
What we found
For short time horizons it may be best to switch to SP first to delay the development of resistance to ACTs, but for long-term planning, switching directly to ACTs may be optimal.
Why it matters
ACTs are far more costly than SP, but the development of SP resistance is inevitable. The choice is not whether to switch to ACTs, but when to switch. Should ACTs be introduced now, or not until SP resistance becomes high?
