The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its policy regarding the type of insecticide used on bed nets to prevent malaria.

Against the backdrop of growing resistance of disease-carrying Anopheles mosquitoes to pyrethroid, the insecticide currently used in insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), the WHO now recommends that areas with pyrethroid-resistance should instead use pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr ITNs.

The recommendations are based on over 15 years of research conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and partners, notably results from two large randomized trials.