Achievements

To date the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit has....
  • Provided the first detailed description of the effects of malaria in pregnancy in South East Asia.
  • Developed a system of antenatal care that has eliminated maternal malaria related mortality.
  • Established the safety of the artemisinin derivatives in pregnancy.
  • Identified vitamin B1 deficiency in infant as the main cause of death in the first year of life.
  • Defined the development of mefloquine drug resistance in this area and produced extensive information (in over 5000 patients) on its adverse effects and on predictors of treatment response.
  • Assessed the benefit of high dose halofantrine and discovered its cardio toxicity.
  • Treated over 10 000 patients with artemisinin derivatives (the largest single centre study in the world). Conducted the first studies to look at a possible cumulative toxicity of this family of drugs in humans.
  • Documented for the first time the impact of artesunate on transmission of malaria and on the spread of resistance and pioneered the use of artemisinin based combination therapy.
  • Evaluated the US manufactured malaria vaccine SPf66 in the most detailed and carefully conducted trial with this vaccine.
  • Documented for the first time the effects of P. vivax in pregnancy.
  • Became the reference for malaria control programs supported by international NGO working along the border.
  • Initiated the first Family Planing and HIV awareness programme in the Karen camps, as well as the mother-to-child transmission prevention programme.
  • Established collaborations with scientific institutions in USA, Europe and Australia.
  • Published over 100 papers in international journals and presented results in several international scientific meetings.
All projects conducted by SMRU are submitted to ethical reviews in Thailand and in the UK prior to start. In the refugee camps, additional approval is sought from the Refugee Committee and the camp administration. SMRU host several medical students each year for their electives (8 weeks).