Piloting the global subsidy: the impact of subsidised artemisinin-based combination therapies distributed through private drug shops in rural Tanzania

The impact of subsidised artemisinin-based combination therapies distributed through private drug shops on consumer uptake and retail price in rural Tanzania: a non-clinical district-randomised controlled trial

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN39125414

Enrollment

500

Registered

2009-08-07

Start date

2007-11-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2015-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Malaria Infections and Infestations Unspecified malaria

Interventions

A total of four interventions are applied during the project: 1. Provision of ACTs at a price 95% below standard market level to a pharmaceutical wholesaler with agreement to distributed to drug shops

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: All consumers purchasing anti-malarials from a private drug shop (duka la dawa baridi) in target districts (no age or gender restrictions).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Consumers purchasing medicines other than anti-malarials from private drug shops 2. Patients obtaining anti-malarials from other sources, including public health facilities, in the target districts

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
1. Proportion of consumers purchasing anti-malarials at private drug shops that buy ACTs. Measured through exit interviews at all shops in target districts at baseline and four surveys during intervention. 2. Price paid for subsidised ACTs and most common alternative anti-malarials by consumers at private drug shops. Measured through exit interviews and the mystery shopper technique at baseline and four times during intervention. 3. The total volume of ACTs distributed by private drug shops in the previous month. Measured through retail audits conducted twice during each survey period (once to establish baseline stock level and follow-up to measure change due to sales), including baseline.	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Proportion of consumers purchasing anti-malarials at private drug shops that buy ACTs. Measured through exit interviews at all shops in target districts at baseline and four surveys during intervention. 2. Price paid for subsidised ACTs and most common alternative anti-malarials by consumers at private drug shops. Measured through exit interviews and the mystery shopper technique at baseline and four times during intervention. 3. The total volume of ACTs distributed by private drug shops in the previous month. Measured through retail audits conducted twice during each survey period (once to establish baseline stock level and follow-up to measure change due to sales), including baseline.

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Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Socioeconomic status of consumers purchasing ACT and other anti-malarials at private drug shops as determined through principal component analysis of household assets. Measured through exit interviews of consumers at baseline and four times during intervention. 2. Volume of ACTs dispensed by all public and nongovernmental health facilities in target districts during preceding month. Measured through audits of public facilities and NGO health facilities at baseline and four times during intervention. 3. Proportion of private drug shops stocking ACTs and alternative anti-malarials. Measured through retail audits at baseline and four times during intervention. 4. Geographic location of drug shops and public/NGO health facilities distributing anti-malarials. Measured through recording of GPS coordinates of all drug shops and facilities during each audit using Garmin Etrex hand units.	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Socioeconomic status of consumers purchasing ACT and other anti-malarials at private drug shops as determined through principal component analysis of household assets. Measured through exit interviews of consumers at baseline and four times during intervention. 2. Volume of ACTs dispensed by all public and nongovernmental health facilities in target districts during preceding month. Measured through audits of public facilities and NGO health facilities at baseline and four times during intervention. 3. Proportion of private drug shops stocking ACTs and alternative anti-malarials. Measured through retail audits at baseline and four times during intervention. 4. Geographic location of drug shops and public/NGO health facilities distributing anti-malarials. Measured through recording of GPS coordinates of all drug shops and facilities during each audit using Garmin Etrex hand units.

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Countries

Tanzania

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Apr 2, 2026