Medicines
Many countries can still access some of these medicine donations in bottles (DEC, IVM, ALB, and AZM for trachoma). However, as companies move to restrict their donations (either to areas with prevalence above a defined threshold or to low-income countries and away from middle-income countries), certain countries and organizations wish to procure their own medicines and prefer blister packaging. Unlike free bottled medicines, or no medicines at all, Bend Biomedical uses the appropriate dosage forms, optimal packaging, and labels and instructions in the local language.
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Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) for lymphatic filariasis and tropical pulmonary eosinophilia
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Ivermectin (IVM) for onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, scabies, strongyloidiasis, mansonelliasis, and malaria transmission
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Albendazole (ALB) for soil transmitted helminths (ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm infection), lymphatic filariasis, oesophagostomiasis, and strongyloidiasis
400 mg chewable
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Praziquantel (PZQ) for female genital schistosomiasis, foodborne trematodiases, and taeniasis
600 mg systemic
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Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) for neural tube defects (spina bifida, anencephaly, and encephalocele), atherosclerosis, stunting, low birth weight, preterm birth, and perinatal mortality
60 mg of iron and .4 mg of folic acid
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Benzathine Penicillin (BPG) for congenital syphilis, rheumatic heart disease, erysipelas, yaws, and pinta
1.2M U IM and 2.4 U IM vials
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Blister-Packaged Soft Gelatin Capsules:
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Vitamin A (Vit A) for blindness and related mortality, respiratory disease, and other infections
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Blister-Packaged Film-Coated Tablets for Oral Suspension:
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Azithromycin (AZM) for trachoma and yaws
20 mg/kg for children, 1 g for adults. Tablet is 262.05 mg, equivalent to 250 mg azithromycin base
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Azithromycin (AZM) as above but packaged for infants for under-five mortality prevention
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Blister-Packaged Fixed-Dose Combination Tablets:
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Piperaquine/dihydroartemisinin (DHA-PPQ) for uncomplicated falciparum malaria
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The usual approach to community-based mass drug administration and other critical preventive medicines is for tablets to be distributed from shared bottles without labels or instructions. As a result, patients have a lack of trust and effective coverage is poor. Today, Bend Biomedical blister-packaged medicines are attractive for both low- and middle-income countries. Our packaging model can be used to provide critically needed medicines for neglected populations around the world.
We participate in a process known as World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification of medicines, a service provided by WHO to assess the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicinal products. Only essential medicines qualify. Countries and organizations now express a preference for WHO prequalified medicines. At Bend Biomedical, we either package in the United States the original name-brand drug, or we use a contract manufacturing organization to manufacture and package a WHO prequalified generic with the same quality and performance as the original drug.