Picturing Health have developed a short video explaining how dolutegravir (DTG), using preliminary data from the ODYSSEY trial, has gained approval for use in children.
Picturing Health is a non-profit film producer with the aim to improve public health. Click here to take a look at their video.
Medicines for children almost always lags behind adults and requires specific separate research to ensure the correct dosages are identified. This often leaves adults receiving new medicines much more speedily than children.
New and better antiretrovirals are being developed all the time for people living with HIV, and DTG is a antiretroviral currently taken by many adults with HIV. Until now, DTG was not tested for use in children.
Thanks to the work of the ODYSSEY trial; preliminary results have shown that DTG is safe and effective in children (weighing ≥20kg). DTG has recently gained approval for use in children by the FDA. This allows DTG to be given to children in new dispersible tablets, which are easy for children to take, with smaller doses and less susceptibility to resistance than previous drug regimes.
This is a big step forward in the use of antiretrovirals in children, and soon it is hoped all children living with HIV in Africa will have access to DTG.
To read more about the successful FDA approval of DTG click here.
