Shortest Drug-Resistant TB Treatment to Launch in January

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The National Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination Programme has initiated training sessions for doctors to introduce BPaL, the shortest treatment to date for drug-resistant TB. BPaL, a combination of bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid, reduces the treatment duration for drug-resistant TB to just six months, compared to the current average of 18 months.

The new treatment is expected to be rolled out in early January, once the training of doctors across all states is completed over the next two months. Dr. Vikas Oswal, a pulmonologist from Chembur and a member of the NTEP technical expert team, shared that the first national three-day training session on the new TB treatment guidelines and BPaL for Delhi doctors was completed on Wednesday. Maharashtra’s public health doctors are scheduled for training in Pune during the second half of November. The training-of-trainers programme is a prerequisite for implementing the BPaL treatment nationwide.

Already introduced in over 40 countries, BPaL has been highly anticipated. Indian authorities approved its use a few months ago following a successful three-year trial, which demonstrated a 90% cure rate. The trial, which involved 403 patients with drug-resistant TB, resulted in the recovery of 352 patients. One patient with COPD passed away, 11 experienced a recurrence, and 19 had severe side effects during the 12-month follow-up.

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As reported by timesofindia, the trial also revealed that a daily dose of 600mg of linezolid, an antibiotic, is as effective as the previously recommended 1,200mg. “The Indian study confirmed that even doses as low as 600mg to 300mg of linezolid are as effective as 1,200mg,” said Dr. Oswal. A major benefit of BPaL is that patients only need to take three tablets daily, with no injections required. Public health experts believe that the shorter treatment duration and reduced number of medications will lead to fewer treatment dropouts among those with multidrug-resistant TB.