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Children under two and AIDS

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Across the globe last year, 700,000 children were newly infected with HIV – half a million of them live in Africa, compared to only 250 in Europe and North America. But there are no affordable AIDS tests that work in babies or medicines that kids can take easily.

THE PROBLEM WITH THE DRUG FORMULATIONS AVAILABLE NOW: Syrups can taste bitter, are hard to dose correctly, and often need refrigeration, which frequently doesn’t exist in poorer countries. Plus, syrups always cost more than pills.
Adult tablets need to be crushed so kids can take them, making it difficult to give the right dose &#– both over-dosing and under-dosing can be dangerous.

WHAT WE NEED: Drugs in solid form are the solution, but they need to come in varying sizes, so that caregivers can easily give kids the doses they need as they grow. Syrups will still be needed for the youngest of babies, but these should not require refrigeration.