FROM ATABRINE IN WORLD-WAR-II TO MEFLOQUINE IN SOMALIA - THE ROLE OF EDUCATION IN PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

Preventive medicine requires an understanding not only of the disease to be prevented, but a complete understanding of conditions affecting the disease transmission, human nature, and the historic situation of the target group. An analysis of a new drug introduction (Atabrine) du ring World War II: is viewed from multiple perspectives and is compare d with the introduction of mefloquine during the mission to Somalia 50 years later. Common themes of educational failure at the end-user and policy-maker levels are shown as barriers to effective preventive med icine efforts.