Union health ministry approves new treatment for multi-drug resistant TB

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 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, the ministry said."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.

A country-wide time-bound rollout plan of the BPaLM regimen is being prepared by the Central TB Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in consultation with the states and UTs. It includes rigorous capacity building of health professionals for the safe administration of the new regimen. Under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has set a target to get rid of TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global target for eliminating the disease under the Sustainable Development Goals.