Health Ministry gives nod to new treatment for MDR-TB

New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry has approved the introduction of the BPaLM regimen, a novel treatment for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) under its National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) as a highly effective and shorter

treatment option.

This regimen includes a new anti-TB drug namely Pretomanid in combination with Bedaquiline and Linezolid (with or without Moxifloxacin), the ministry said in a statement.

Pretomanid has earlier been approved and licensed for use in India by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).

The BPaLM regimen, which consists of a four-drug combination – Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid and Moxifloxacin – has been proven to be safe, more effective and a quicker treatment option than the previous MDR-TB treatment procedure.

“While traditional MDR-TB treatments can last up to 20 months with severe side effects, BPaLM regimen can cure the drug-resistant TB in just six months with a high treatment success rate, the statement read. “India’s 75,000 drug-resistant TB patients will now be able to avail the benefit of this shorter regimen,”

the ministry said.

The Department of Health and Family Welfare, in consultation with the Department of Health Research ensured the validation of this new TB treatment regimen that witnessed a thorough review of evidence by in-country subject experts.

It also got a ‘health technology assessment’ done through the Department of Health Research to ensure that this MDR-TB treatment option is safe and cost-effective, the statement said.

This move by the government is expected to significantly boost the country’s progress to achieve its national goal of ending TB.