Sep 6, 2024
New Delhi: To rid the country of TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global target for eliminating the disease under the Sustainable Development Goals, the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has approved the introduction of the BPaLM regimen — a novel treatment for multi-drug- resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) under its National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP)—as a highly effective and shorter treatment option. This regimen includes a new anti-TB drug, namely Pretomanid, in combination with Bedaquiline & Linezolid (with/without Moxifloxacin). Pretomanid has earlier been approved & licenced for use in India by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (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, the BPaLM regimen can cure drug-resistant TB in just six months with a high treatment success rate. India’s 75,000 drug-resistant TB patients will now be able to avail benefit of this shorter regimen. With the other advantages, there will be an overall saving in cost.
The Department of Health & 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 evidences by in- country subject experts. The Department of Health & Family Welfare has 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.
This move by the Government of India is expected to significantly boost the country’s progress towards achieving its national goal of ending T B. A country-wide time-bound rollout plan of the BPaLM regimen is being prepared by the Central TB Division of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in consultation with States/UTs, which includes rigorous capacity building of health professionals for safe administration of the new regimen.