Putting the priorities first: medicines for maternal and child health
Suzanne R Hill
Volume 90, Number 3, March 2012, 236-238
Table 2. “Wish list” of priority medicines for mothers and children
| Type of product needed | Optimal dosage regimen |
|---|---|
| Tuberculosis: development of a product that will deliver these doses when given in 0.5 to 2.0 tablets per day over the weight range 5–30kg. For example, a fixed-dose combination containing rifampicin 250 mg, isoniazid 150 mg, pyrazinamide 400 mg and ethambutol 250 mg. | Ethambutol: 20 mg/kg/day (15 mg–25 mg/kg/day) |
| Rifampicin: 15 mg/kg/day (10–20 mg/kg/day) | |
| Isoniazid: 10 mg/kg/day (10–15 mg/kg/day) | |
| Pyrazinamide: 35 mg/kg/day (30–40 mg/kg/day) | |
| HIV, TB prophylaxis, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia: development of a fixed-dose combination product of appropriate strength. | Isoniazid/co-trimoxazole |
| Neonatal care: | |
| apnoea: availability of a fully commercialized quality product in more countries; determination of the regulatory pathway; and dissemination of information on use. | Caffeine citrate: liquid 20mg/ml |
| cord care: availability of a fully commercialized quality product in more countries; determination of the regulatory pathway; establishment of optimal product types. | Chlorhexidine digluconate: solution, 4% |
| vitamin K deficiency: identification of optimal dose and strength of injection. | Vitamin K |