Filariasis describes a group of parasitic diseases caused by roundworms. These cause a lot of hardship to around 120 million people in the tropics and subtropics. The pharmaceutical industry's response has been the development of effective medicines and involvement in eradication programmes.
Disease: Filariasis
Last update: May 2005
Intro
FAQ: What does the future hold?
Research continues into the development of new, more effective anthelmintics and other novel compounds to treat specific species of worms.
A large-scale elimination programme, the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF) aims to eliminate the disease entirely by 2020, by treating whole communities once yearly for five consecutive years.
A large-scale elimination programme, the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF) aims to eliminate the disease entirely by 2020, by treating whole communities once yearly for five consecutive years.