Cost-effectiveness of combining drug and environmental treatments for environmentally transmitted diseases

Lab Publication - Cost-effectiveness of combining drug and environmental treatments for environmentally transmitted diseases

François M. Castonguay and James N. Sanchirico, and coauthors, published their research in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B (Proc. R. Soc. B). They found that for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that have an environmental component (e.g. schistosomiasis), combining environmental treatments (e.g. pesticides) and drug treatments reduces the dependency on mass drug administrations (MDAs) and that this reduction increases when the planners take a longer-run perspective on the fight to reduce NTDs. Their results highlight that separate guidelines for drug and environmental controls, such as current WHO recommendations, lead to excessive usage of public funds and over-utilization of drug and environmental treatment. Funding towards schistosomiasis should prioritize integrated treatment guidelines involving a joint investment in both drug and environmental controls.