Despite having stopped the fitting, we've still got a few work-units requiring computation (note: they are only available for the beta application). This is for a small experiment, so we will likely not have a follow-up soon.

Here is an explanation of what this experiment is about, from A.Ross:

We are adding some new workunits: a batch of roughly 5000 workunits which are not part of the fitting runs. We have been asked to provide some predictions of the impact of a new strategy for malaria control --- intermittent preventive treatment in infants (IPTi) --- which could be added into a decision-tool aimed at local policy makers and planners.

IPTi involves giving an anti-malarial drug when the infant is brought to the clinic for their routine immunization visits. The idea behind the intermittent drug doses is to reduce the burden of malaria illness and deaths without running into problems with logistics and sustainability, accelerating drug resistance or preventing the infant from gaining acquired immunity through exposure to malaria. Field trials have shown promising results.

A while back, we did some work initially exploring in which setttings IPTi would be effective* (looking at different drug characteristics, intensities of malaria transmission, seasonal patterns, coverage of health care available). This has now been widened to looking at the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of both IPTi and IPTc (intermittent preventive treatment in children). The workunits for this wider study have been completed and the results are being finalised together with economists based in London (status update: August 2009). The batch we are sending out at the moment contains workunits which will take a finer look at how well IPTi works in areas with different background levels of drug resistance.

* for those interested, see the IPTi paper found here.

We did write an update in June; I don't know if you saw it?

If you want to give some more specific feedback on these updates, please do!