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Table 2 Expert perspectives on the advantages of introducing TACTs over current practices of rotating ACTs when treatment failure is observed in Southeast Asia

From: Expert perspectives on the introduction of Triple Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (TACTs) in Southeast Asia: a Delphi study

Advantages

Explanation

N

Protecting antimalarial drug compounds

TACTs could protect antimalarial drug compounds by preventing parasites from becoming resistant or attaining higher levels of resistance

35

Improving efficacy

TACTs could provide improved antimalarial efficacy and avoid treatment failure

34

Delaying spread of drug resistance

TACTs could prevent or delay the spread of multidrug resistance both locally and to other regions and continents

22

Less frequent policy shifts

TACTs could require less frequent policy shifts and regulatory procedures, which are both time and resource intensive

17

Consistent communication messages

TACTs could allow consistent communication to health workers and patients in terms of work instructions, training and information dissemination

16

Less logistic disruption

TACTs could result in less frequent logistical and operational disruptions in terms of planning, procurement, import, storage and distribution

15

Accelerating malaria elimination

TACTs could accelerate malaria elimination strategies in Southeast Asia

11

Patient/prescriber preference

TACTs’ three-drug compound regimen could be preferred by health workers and patients over the two-drug compound ACT regimen

3

Reducing pressure on surveillance systems

TACTs could mitigate the pressure of monitoring resistance and drug efficacy levels in areas of resistance

3

Reducing malaria transmission

TACTs could contribute to overall reductions in malaria transmission and infections

3

Scaling up production/cost reduction

TACTs could be profitable for pharmaceutical companies by enabling the scale-up of antimalarial drug production and associated cost reductions

2

Regional solution

TACTs could provide a regional solution instead of a solution that needs to be tailored to individual countries

2

Effectivity on vivax malaria

TACTs could contribute in the battle against vivax and other types of malaria and could provide more time to focus on these other types of malaria

1

Prophylactic effect

TACTs could have a malaria prophylactic effect

1

Reduced pill intake

TACTs could reduce the number of pills and/or the days of treatment compared to current ACTs

1