Question

Malaria was once prevalent in Europe and the USA in the early 1900s but was successful eliminated from these areas. However, malaria is still prevalent in the tropical regions i.e. parts of Asia, Africa and South America. Is it correct to say that Malaria is a disease of poverty? What biological factors make it so hard to treat Malaria. You have been asked to conduct a clinical trial of a new antimalarial drug that would cost $30 per dose once approved by the FDA.
Would it be ethical to test this new drug in Africa where an average person lives on less than $2 per day?

Please give a detailed answer in at least 250 words, include sources.

Answer 1

Malaria is one of the greatest killers in Africa, Asia, South America, and even in the world at large. It is an epidermic that claims over three million lives every year, with over a million lives from Africa.

Although the ecological and climatic conditions of Africa favor the wide spread of the disease, it still cannot be isolated from poverty. The poor, who cannot afford to take adequate preventive and quick corrective measures are the most vulnerable to this epidermic disease. This is evident from the prevalence of this disease in Africa, Asia, and South America. These continents consist of countries that are performing poorly economically and citizens living in abject poverty.

Important socio-economic differentials exist in access to malaria interventions, increasing the vulnerability of the poorest, majority of who reside in these aforementioned continents.

The symptoms of malaria do not change, whether in Europe or America, Africa or Asia. Considering the economic status of Africa, a new and expensive malaria drug can be tested in other continents and on confirmation of its potency, deployed to Africa for use. The African government, and other health organizations can make efforts on drastic subsidization of these drugs for the people. The extremely indigent can be given for free with the help of international organizations.