Table 1.
Drugs, dosages, and cure rates for treatment of the selected soil-transmitted helminth
| Parasitic diseases | Drug (active ingredient) | Dosage5–7 | Estimated cure rate (%)15 | Average wholesale price of treatment for a 150-pound (68 kg) adult on January 1, 2010 (US dollar)11 | Average wholesale price of treatment for a 150-pound (68 kg) adult in on December 31, 2017 (US dollar)11 | Standard of care by the CDC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascariasis | Albendazole | 400 mg orally once | 96.5 (94.4–97.9) | 3.16 (product name: Albenza) | 438.77 (product name: Albenza) | Yes |
| Mebendazole | 100 mg orally twice daily for 3 days or 500 mg orally once | 96.8 (93.3–98.5) | 31.92 (product name: mebendazole; 600 mg) | 2,656.80 (product name: Emverm; 600 mg) | Yes | |
| Ivermectin | 150–200 mcg/kg orally once | 97.3 (85.7–99.5) | 22.33 (product name: Stromectol; 12 mg) | 21.10 (product name: Stromectol and ivermectin; 12 mg) | Yes | |
| Pyrantel pamoate | Not recommended by the CDC | 93.0 (86.7–96.4) | N/A (average price of 30 mL package: $7.07) | N/A (average price of 30 mL package: $6.30) | No | |
| Hookworm | Albendazole | 400 mg orally once | 78.5 (71.5–84.2) | 3.16 (product name: Albenza) | 438.77 (product name: Albenza) | Yes |
| Mebendazole | 100 mg orally twice a day for 3 days or 500 mg orally once | 41.6 (30.7–53.3) | 31.92 (product name: mebendazole; 600 mg) | 2,656.80 (product name: Emverm; 600 mg) | Yes | |
| Ivermectin | Not recommended by the CDC | 24.3 (11.5–44.3) | N/A ($5.58 per 3 mg tablet; product name: Stromectol) | N/A ($5.28 per 3 mg tablet; Product name: Stromectol and ivermectin) | No | |
| Pyrantel pamoate | 11 mg/kg (up to a maximum of 1 g) orally daily for 3 days | 52.6 (39.4–65.4) | 7.07 (average price of 30 mL package) | 6.30 (average price of 30 mL package) | Yes | |
| Trichuriasis (whipworm infection) | Albendazole | 400 mg orally for 3 days | 83 (73–93)16 | 9.48 (product name: Albenza) | 1,316.31 (product name: Albenza) | Yes |
| Mebendazole | 100 mg orally twice a day for 3 days | 44.4 (30.8–59.0) | 31.92 (product name: mebendazole; 600 mg) | 2,656.80 (product name: Emverm; 600 mg) | Yes | |
| Ivermectin | 200 mcg/kg/day orally for 3 days | 32.1 (16.3–53.5) | 78.16 (product name: Stromectol; 42 mg) | 73.86 (product name: Stromectol and ivermectin; 42 mg) | Yes | |
| Pyrantel pamoate | Not recommended by the CDC | 23.4 (11.7–41.1) | N/A (average price of 30 mL package: $7.07) | N/A (average price of 30 mL package: $6.30) | No |
Notes: We include drugs for oral usage only and excluded repackagers to estimate average wholesale price of each active ingredient. If multiple products are available in the market, we calculated the simple average of average wholesale prices. N/A stands for “not available” because the recommended amount of drug usage for treating a 150-pound (68 kg) adult is not available and the drug is not recommended by the CDC. Thus, we reported average wholesale unit price instead of average wholesale price of treatment for a 150-pound (68 kg) adult.