The Lancet: Long-acting technologies for infectious diseases in LMICs
Lelio Marmora, executive director at Unitaid, and colleagues

“…Could the risk of resistance to medications for infectious diseases be reduced through the use of long-acting (LA) patches, implants, or injectable drugs? Thanks to scientific and technological advances, these scenarios might be feasible over the next decade. In high-income countries, the shift from daily oral medication to weekly, monthly, and less frequent LA formulations has been reported to have better adherence and health outcomes across many areas … [W]e need to be thinking ahead about LA technologies for infectious diseases. That is why Unitaid is working with a wide range of partners and stakeholders to explore these issues, including through a global technical consultation in Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov 1-2, 2018, that will consider the science and market landscapes for LA technologies. Our shared goal should be to accelerate the development and implementation of these new approaches so that they have the greatest possible impact against global epidemics” (10/24).