The market death.

Sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis) is a serious and worsening problem in S. Sudan but there is little available in the way of treatment. Drug companies will not invest in research where there is no prospect of profit. An effective drug, DFMO, is no longer available. It was developed for prostate cancer and by chance was found to be effective against sleeping sickness, but as it failed as a treatment for its original purpose, it is no longer produced. The pharmaceutical company offered the licence free to the WHO but no other company could be found willing to take up production. Two drugs remain: pentaminine, which is effective for sleeping sickness at a very early stage, and malarsobal for established sleeping sickness. Malarsobal, however, is based on arsenic. It causes severe pain when injected and is so toxic that if often kills the patient. The distressing effects of malarsobal injections on an adult and a child are shown. However, there is some hope that production of DFMO will be resumed. It has been found effective in slowing the growth of facial hair and if Gillette decide that there is a cosmetic demand for it in the west, Africa will benefit. The reporter is Saira Shah.