COST CONSIDERATIONS OF MALARIA CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS INCLUDING USE OF PRIMAQUINE FOR PRIMARY OR TERMINAL CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS

Abstract

The costs of mefloquine, chloroquine, doxycycline, primaquine, and atovaquone/proguanil are calculated for various durations of exposure to malaria. The cost is included for detecting glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency before administering primaquine for primary or terminal prophylaxis. For durations of exposure ranging from 3 to 730 days, if no terminal prophylaxis is given, doxycycline (generic) is the least expensive regimen. Compared with doxycycline hyclate, chloroquine costs three to four times more, and primaquine, after screening for G6PD, costs about eight times more. Atovaquone/proguanil is less expensive than mefloquine for a 3-day exposure, but more expensive for 7 or more days. When terminal chemoprophylaxis with primaquine for 14 days is used in addition to doxycycline, mefloquine, chloroquine, or atovaquone/proguanil, primaquine alone is the least expensive regimen for exposures of < 10 days. Thereafter, doxycycline plus 14 days of primaquine is most economical. For subsequent exposures when G6PD status is already known, primaquine alone is the least expensive regimen for up to 9 days of exposure, but doxycycline is less expensive thereafter. In general, generic doxycycline hyclate is the least expensive regimen. Primaquine alone is economically attractive. Mefloquine, doxycyline monohydrate, and atovaquone/proguanil, the most expensive regimens, are similar in cost for a 7-day exposure, but thereafter, atovaquone/proguanil is much more expensive.