Introduction: The Rise of Endectocides in Global Health
The fight against malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) like scabies has long been characterized by silos—separate funding, separate drugs, and separate delivery systems. However, the emergence of ivermectin as a potent endectocide—a drug that kills both internal parasites and external blood-sucking vectors—is challenging this paradigm. Recent evidence from the BOHEMIA trials in Mozambique and Kenya suggests that mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin, originally intended to control malaria vectors, offers significant collateral benefits by reducing the burden of scabies. For clinicians and public health experts, these findings represent a potential shift toward integrated disease management that maximizes the impact of single interventions.
