AFRICA: New meningitis vaccine a “revolution”
DAKAR, 14 October 2010 (IRIN) - The emergence of a new meningitis vaccine, rather than a large-scale outbreak of the disease, has prompted the...
Malaria hopes rise as chemists produce cheap artemisinin
The cost of the life-saving antimalarial drug artemisinin could be lowered by a third, with a new method that utilises a waste product from the current...
Biomed Analysis: Why Africa must make its own drugs
There is a pressing need for Africa to bolster its pharmaceuticals industry, and that requires the right policy framework, argues Priya Shetty.
Many resource-poor countries, especially...
Polio eradication: learn from setbacks and press ahead
The world is close to eradicating polio, but countries need consistent vigilance — including informed media coverage — to reach this goal.
Nigeria's commitment...
Tanzanian study confirms rats’ ability to detect TB
Rats that can smell the tuberculosis (TB) bacterium in a sputum sample could be more effective in detecting TB than expensive laboratory tests, a...
SOUTH AFRICA: Communities debate microbicide results
JOHANNESBURG, 23 August 2010 (PlusNews) - The recent release of positive results from a microbicide trial in South Africa have kick-started discussions...
East African labs to adopt uniform benchmarks
A new proficiency testing scheme that requires all labs in East Africa to better their services is likely to reduce on haphazard work as...
Use new funding models to get drugs to world’s poor
Trade deals are threatening generic drugs — we need new ways to incentivise affordable drug development, says health expert Daniele Dionisio.
Just under three billion people...
Kenyan AIDS vaccine work boosts African research
The Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative (KAVI) centre, founded by local scientists, is a model for developing country research institutions capable of rigorously evaluating AIDS vaccine candidates,...
NGOs call for international regulation of synthetic biology
More than 100 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have called for greater international oversight of the emerging science of synthetic biology – including a moratorium on...
