A pilot randomised trial of induced blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum infections in healthy volunteers for testing efficacy of new antimalarial drugs.

Background: Critical to the development of new drugs for treatment of malaria is the capacity to safely evaluate their activity in human subjects. The approach that has been most commonly used is testing in subjects with natural malaria infection, a methodology that may expose symptomatic subjects to the risk of ineffective treatment. Here we describe the development and pilot testing of a system to undertake experimental infection using blood stage Plasmodium falciparum parasites (BSP).

An initial pharmacokinetic study with a Metered Dose Transdermal Systemfor delivery of the progestogen Nestorone as a possible future contraceptive.

Background: Transdermal delivery of steroids is gaining popularity for contraception and hormone replacement therapy. This study aimed to test metered spray delivery of a precise dosage of Nestorone (NES) progestogen as a possible transdermal progestogen-only contraceptive.

Study Design: Six healthy postmenopausal volunteers, not recently using any hormonal therapies, comprise the sample for this study.