The trial of Anaferon for children in Vietnam

National Hospital of Pediatrics in Hanoi conducted first controlled clinical trials on Anaferon for children in the period of high sickness rate due to monsoon season (April to July 2012).

Vietnam Health authorities committed independent team of experts to conduct randomized clinical trial of Anaferon for children supervised by the Head of Immunology, Allergology and Traumatology department from National hospital of Pediatrics. The study represented a randomized comparative clinical-immunological trial of Anaferon for children effectiveness in treating acute viral respiratory infection. The trial was conducted in children from 6 months to 5 years old with various viral infections. The experts applied ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and PCR to detect and confirm etiology. According to Vietnam treatment standards of acute respiratory infections, all children received common symptomatic therapy with different medications (fever-reducing, local vasoconstrictor etc.) Children from one of the groups received standard Anaferon for children therapy in addition to the above-mentioned treatment. Effectiveness of treatment in groups was estimated by duration and intensity of infection basic symptoms (fever response, intoxication symptoms and signs of upper airway inflammation). Also the experts estimated the condition of IFN-system (interferon) before and on the 3-rd day of therapy.

During the trial experts determined that the group that used Anaferon rapidly overcome clinical symptoms and their IFN-system provided with more active protection from infection. At that the trial revealed unknown feature. Anaferon for children activates not only IFN-α and IFN-ɣ but also IFN-β, which has as well intense antiviral potency. The statistic analysis showed that activation of IFN-system correlated with more rapid recovery of children in group which received Anaferon therapy.

The experts acknowledged good medicine tolerance and safety of Anaferon for children that confirm the results of all earlier clinical trials conducted in Russia.
Unreasonable practice of antibiotic therapy when treating viral respiratory infections is very common in Vietnam and brings high frequency of complications. Vietnam experts have been searching for an alternative to antibiotic therapy especially in children, and in this case the trial lets learning from experience of using Anaferon for children for viral respiratory infection and flu. Basing on trial results experts from National hospital of pediatrics reported that Anaferon for children is effective for flu A and B, adenovirus infection, RS-virus and rhinovirus infection.