Pfizer Inc. donates the antibiotic azithromycin through ITI to prevent and treat trachoma. It is a safe and effective medication that is well-tolerated and has a low incidence of side effects.

Trachoma cannot be eliminated through antibiotic distribution alone. For this reason, national health programs seeking an azithromycin donation to fight trachoma must demonstrate their ability to utilize the antibiotic as part of the World Health Organization-recommended SAFE Strategy for trachoma prevention.

Applying for Azithromycin

The Trachoma Expert Committee and ITI staff, with support from the World Health Organization, review applications for azithromycin for trachoma control. National programs applying for azithromycin for the first time can contact ITI to obtain the proper application documents.

Applications are evaluated for donation based on a number of technical and administrative criteria:

• The prevalence of trachoma based on existing information, including recent population-based prevalence surveys.
• An appropriate treatment strategy for the designated population group based on the prevalence of active trachoma.
• The availability of sufficient national program resources to continue treatment until such time as the World Health Organization can certify that trachoma has been eliminated as a public health problem. These resources may include competent and well-trained staff, transportation, and appropriate azithromycin storage facilities.
• Evidence of support for implementation of the full SAFE Strategy for trachoma control.