ABSTRACT
Several medical applications of controlled release are in early stages of development and show promise. These include systems for the treatment of malaria, alcoholism, diabetes, and systems for eliciting immunity. The unreliability of self-administration of prophylactic antimalarial drugs is well recognized; an implanted controlled release drug delivery system would relieve the individual of responsibility for self-medication. A possible application for controlled release is the use of the drug disulfiram for the treatment of alcoholism. Disulfiram has been used in industry for many years in the vulcanization of rubber. Conventional methods for immunizing both animals and humans generally require multiple injections and often cause tissue irritation. In some cases, as in the treatment of allergies, shots have to be given weekly over a period of several years. Controlled release polymer formulations may find applications in other clinical areas. One such area that has received increasing attention is the controlled release of antibiotics.
