Editor's Pick | Health Ministry approves new treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant TB

The Union Health Ministry on Friday approved the introduction of a new treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in India. The BPaLM regimen consisting of four drugs — Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid, and Moxifloxacin — has proven to be a safe, more effective and quicker treatment option than the previous MDR-TB treatment procedure, the Ministry said. It added that the country was working towards the elimination of TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global target for eliminating the disease under the sustainable development goals. As part of these efforts, the Ministry has introduced the BPaLM regimen, a novel treatment for MDR-TB, under its National TB Elimination Programme. This regimen includes a new anti-TB drug, Pretomanid, in combination with Bedaquiline and Linezolid (with or without Moxifloxacin). Pretomanid had earlier been approved and licensed for use in India by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. While traditional treatments can last up to 20 months with severe side effects, the BPaLM regimen can cure drug-resistant TB in just six months with a high success rate. India’s 75,000 drug-resistant TB patients will now be able to benefit from this shorter regimen. Along with other advantages, there will also be overall savings in cost. This is a significant move in the country’s battle against M/XDR-TB with the new regime indicating good results in countries including Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine, etc. Soumya Swaminathan, principal adviser, National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, had announced it on X last week, saying that “the move should improve treatment outcomes and help thousands of patients”. Dr. Swaminathan said in her post: “India is getting ready to roll out BPaL regimen for all M/XDRTB patients — training to begin this month. This should improve treatment outcomes & help thousands of patients. Scaling up NAAT coverage will be an essential element of the strategy.” A nucleic acid amplification test, or NAAT, for tuberculosis (TB) is a molecular test used to detect the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in a sputum or other respiratory sample. Welcoming the announcement, Leena Menghaney, South Asia head of humanitarian aid organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said: “After the availability of generic bedaquiline cost to TB programmes has fallen – (BPaLM price is US$426 (US$130 bedaquiline, US$238 pretomanid, US$31 linezolid and US$27 moxifloxacin). This is a momentous day for people with drug-resistant tuberculosis, because India will finally replace many of the longer, arduous and less-effective treatments by offering better, safer and shorter BPaLM treatment that is much more likely to cure this deadly disease. The next step is to also introduce delamanid-based short oral regimens for children and as an alternative for people who cannot tolerate bedaquiline or linezolid.” In an editorial, The Hindu had pointed out that India was falling behind in its efforts to control tuberculosis with persistent drug shortages, disruptions in supply, delay in diagnosis and treatment initiation. “Far from reaching the 2025 goal, India does not seem to have a handle on the most basic elements of TB control,” it had noted. The Hindu’s Editorials ​Fresh openings: On the J&K Assembly elections ​Undoing the undoing: On the Competency-Based Medical Education Curriculum guidelines The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Which Dalit leader is associated with movements such as the Mahad Satyagraha and the Kalaram temple entry movement? Baba Amte BR Ambedkar Kanshi Ram Jagjivan Ram To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 07 September 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 07 September 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Health Ministry approves new treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant TB [The Union Health Ministry on Friday approved the introduction of a new treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in India](. The BPaLM regimen consisting of four drugs — Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid, and Moxifloxacin — has proven to be a safe, more effective and quicker treatment option than the previous MDR-TB treatment procedure, the Ministry said. It added that the country was working towards the elimination of TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global target for eliminating the disease under the sustainable development goals. As part of these efforts, the Ministry has introduced the BPaLM regimen, a novel treatment for MDR-TB, under its National TB Elimination Programme. This regimen includes a new anti-TB drug, Pretomanid, in combination with Bedaquiline and Linezolid (with or without Moxifloxacin). Pretomanid had earlier been approved and licensed for use in India by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. While traditional treatments can last up to 20 months with severe side effects, the BPaLM regimen can cure drug-resistant TB in just six months with a high success rate. India’s 75,000 drug-resistant TB patients will now be able to benefit from this shorter regimen. Along with other advantages, there will also be overall savings in cost. This is a significant move in the country’s battle against M/XDR-TB with the new regime indicating good results in countries including Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine, etc. Soumya Swaminathan, principal adviser, National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, had announced it on X last week, saying that “the move should improve treatment outcomes and help thousands of patients”. Dr. Swaminathan said in her post: “India is getting ready to roll out BPaL regimen for all M/XDRTB patients — training to begin this month. This should improve treatment outcomes & help thousands of patients. Scaling up NAAT coverage will be an essential element of the strategy.” A nucleic acid amplification test, or NAAT, for tuberculosis (TB) is a molecular test used to detect the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in a sputum or other respiratory sample. Welcoming the announcement, Leena Menghaney, South Asia head of humanitarian aid organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said: “After the availability of generic bedaquiline cost to TB programmes has fallen – (BPaLM price is US$426 (US$130 bedaquiline, US$238 pretomanid, US$31 linezolid and US$27 moxifloxacin). This is a momentous day for people with drug-resistant tuberculosis, because India will finally replace many of the longer, arduous and less-effective treatments by offering better, safer and shorter BPaLM treatment that is much more likely to cure this deadly disease. [The next step is to also introduce delamanid-based short oral regimens for children and as an alternative for people who cannot tolerate bedaquiline or linezolid]( In an [editorial]( The Hindu had pointed out that India was falling behind in its efforts to control tuberculosis with persistent drug shortages, disruptions in supply, delay in diagnosis and treatment initiation. “Far from reaching the 2025 goal, India does not seem to have a handle on the most basic elements of TB control,” it had noted. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][​Fresh openings: On the J&K Assembly elections]( [Arrow][​Undoing the undoing: On the Competency-Based Medical Education Curriculum guidelinesÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Which Dalit leader is associated with movements such as the Mahad Satyagraha and the Kalaram temple entry movement? - Baba Amte - BR Ambedkar - Kanshi Ram - Jagjivan Ram To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( Today’s Best Reads [[One killed in suspected rocket attack on former Manipur CM’s residence] One killed in suspected rocket attack on former Manipur CM’s residence]( [[India’s Hokato Sema, landmine blast survivor, wins shot-put bronze at Paris Paralympics] India’s Hokato Sema, landmine blast survivor, wins shot-put bronze at Paris Paralympics]( [[Cockpit audio indicates de-icing problems in deadly Brazil plane crash last month, investigators say] Cockpit audio indicates de-icing problems in deadly Brazil plane crash last month, investigators say]( [[Haryana Assembly elections: Congress releases first list of 32 candidates; Vinesh Phogat to fight from Julana] Haryana Assembly elections: Congress releases first list of 32 candidates; Vinesh Phogat to fight from Julana]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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