Public consultation: Target Product Profiles for diagnostic tests to meet Lymphatic Filariasis programme needs: stopping triple-therapy mass drug administration and conducting surveillance

Deadline: 30 September 2020

3 September 2020
Call for consultation

 

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection that is endemic in 72 countries. In 2017, WHO recommended the combination of ivermectin, DEC, and albendazole, known as IDA or triple-therapy for use in mass drug administration (MDA) in certain settings. Use of IDA is projected to reduce the number of MDA rounds required to reduce infection and transmission to unsustainable levels, but current diagnostic tools are targeted to biomarkers that do not provide an indicator of the immediate impact on reducing transmission.  New diagnostic tools are needed to identify, clarify and make decisions for stopping IDA MDA.

Similarly, the success of MDA in endemic countries has meant that an increasing number of countries no longer require MDA nationally for LF. This means that monitoring for resurgence becomes an ever-more important consideration. New diagnostic tests are needed to serve as early indicators of significant transmission potential leading to new infections and a re-emerging public health problem.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is asking for feedback on both TPPs. Feedback is invited from experts in the industry, product development, parasitologists, the scientific community, NTD programme personnel and other technicians currently implementing WHO recommended LF surveys.

Details of the TPPs may be found in the linked documents.

Acces the online form
Any proposed revisions during the public consultation will be considered by the TPP working group before finalizing it. The final TPPs will be used for the development of diagnostics to improve decisions leading to the elimination of lymphatic filariasis.

Media Contacts

Dr Jonathan King

Team Lead, Community and Primary Care Based Interventions
World Health Organization

Telephone: +41 22 791 1423
Email: kingj@who.int

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