April 1- Artesunate, Available from CDC, will be the Only Treatment in U.S. for Severe Malaria

Posted 29 March 2019

On April 1, 2019 artesunate, available from CDC, will be the only treatment in the U.S. for severe malaria. Quinidine will not be available after April 1, 2019. The CDC has updated its guidelines on treatment of malaria including severe malaria, at the following links. 

Treatment of Malaria: Guidelines for Clinicians (United States)

Availability of Intravenous Artesunate for Treatment of Severe Malaria in the United States


CDC has announced that it will make intravenous artesunate available for the treatment of severe malaria once quinidine is no longer available beginning April 1, 2019. Production of quinidine, the drug currently used for treatment of severe malaria in the United States, has been discontinued.

 

Starting April 1, clinicians treating patients with severe malaria should call CDC to obtain IV artesunate. The CDC Malaria Hotline (770-488-7788) is available Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm, Eastern time. Outside these hours, providers should call 770-488-7100 and ask to speak with a CDC Malaria Branch expert.

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