A test that estimates how well a patient has adhered to a prescription drug regimen to prevent HIV transmission, developed at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, now has gained widespread use in research internationally.
The technique measures for traces of antiretroviral drugs in dried blood spots to reveal how much of the medication a patient has used over the past couple of months. Researchers at CU’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences created the method of taking a sample of blood on a paper-like card and measuring for concentrations of the drugs in dried red blood cells.
The drug builds up in the red blood cells only if it is taken consistently, said Pete Anderson, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at CU whose research is supported by the National Institutes of Health. He added that a similar test may have applications for tracking drugs such as those used to treat Hepatitis-C.
