Cheap, fixed dose treatment is planned for malaria: The Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (a non-profit drug development organisation) and Sanofi-Aventis have agreed to develop a new, fixed dose combination of artemisinin based compound to treat falciparum malaria in Africa. The target price of the treatment is less than $1 (£0.53; €0.77) for a three day course.
US doctors rebuff drug watchdog group: The American College of Physicians has refused to allow the non-profit US organisation No Free Lunch, a group devoted to reducing competing interests in medicine, to rent a booth at its annual meeting. The college said the presence of the group would inhibit dialogue between industry exhibitors and doctors.
UK government to sponsor research into gel against HIV: The UK government will provide £24m ($45m; €35m) to fund a Medical Research Council trial assessing a microbicide gel aimed at preventing HIV infection in women, particularly those who cannot insist on use of a condom. Starting this summer the researchers will follow 12 000 women for 39 months in four African countries: South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Drug safety committees warn of food and drug interactions: The Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Food Standard Agency's committee on toxicity have issued draft guidance for consultation on the interaction between some drugs and certain foods. See www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/tox200509.pdf
Cambodia has third death from avian flu: An eight year old girl has died from avian flu in Cambodia—the country's third death from the disease. All three cases were from Kampot province, bordering Vietnam, where the disease has infected 33 and killed 15 people since late 2004. A World Health Organization spokeswoman said that the child's death may have been caused by contact with asymptomatic ducks rather than sick chickens.