LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)– Groundbreaking data from the multi-country EFFORT Trial has confirmed that high-dose primaquine and single-dose tafenoquine are both safe and highly effective in treating the liver stage of Plasmodium vivax malaria.
Published today in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, the study led by the Menzies School of Health Research provides the first real-world evidence supporting the 2024 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. These findings are expected to trigger a geographic expansion of tafenoquine use, offering a more efficient alternative to traditional 14-day treatment courses for G6PD-normal patients.
The research, which involved over 60 collaborators across Ethiopia, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Cambodia, compared a 7-day high-dose primaquine regimen against the standard 14-day low-dose course and a single dose of tafenoquine. Results indicated that both advanced regimens significantly slashed malaria recurrence.
Notably, the trial demonstrated that tafenoquine performs exceptionally well when paired with the blood-stage drug artesunate–pyronaridine, paving the way for its use with other artemisinin-based therapies. The Principal Investigator Professor Kamala Thriemer, emphasized that this partnership directly equips nations with the clinical proof needed to overhaul outdated malaria strategies.
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“Tafenoquine is a single dose treatment to prevent relapsing malaria which can currently only be given with chloroquine. Our data provide the evidence to further explore the use of tafenoquine with the widely used artemisinin-based treatments,” Thriemer stated.
This shift is particularly vital for countries like Pakistan, where the disease burden remains among the highest globally. Beyond clinical efficacy, the study incorporated economic and qualitative assessments to ensure these updated regimens are feasible and cost-effective for real-world healthcare systems.
Professor Najia Ghanchi, a co-investigator, noted that the results support the introduction of single-dose tafenoquine alongside G6PD testing to effectively reduce the relapse burden. Menzies Director Prof Alan Cass, added that the trial’s focus on translating evidence into practice is a “major milestone” for global elimination efforts.
Consultations are now underway across the participating trial countries to integrate these high-quality findings into national health policies and treatment planning.
