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10th August 2024 (9 Topics)

India's New BPaL Regimen for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Context

India is set to introduce the BPaL (bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid) regimen for treating multi-drug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) patients.

What is the BPaL Regimen?

  • The BPaL regimen consists of three drugs:
    • Bedaquiline: An anti-TB drug effective against drug-resistant strains.
    • Pretomanid: A newer drug with proven efficacy against resistant TB strains.
    • Linezolid: An antibiotic used in combination to enhance treatment effectiveness.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended BPaL and similar regimens in 2022 for their efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
  • Benefits:
    • Reduced Duration: BPaL shortens the treatment period from 18-24 months to about 6 months.
    • Simplified Treatment: Patients will take just three daily tablets compared to 14 different drugs in the older regimen.
    • Improved Adherence: Shorter and less complex treatment increases the likelihood of patients completing their therapy.

Fact Box: About Tuberculosis (TB)

  • Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria. It spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or spit.
  • Tuberculosis is preventable and curable.
  • Those who are infected but not (yet) ill with the disease cannot transmit it. TB disease is usually treated with antibiotics and can be fatal without treatment.
  • Common symptoms of TB: Prolonged cough (sometimes with blood), chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, fever, night sweats.
  • Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most effective first-line TB drugs.
  • Current Treatment Landscape in India
    • India currently has a 56% treatment success rate for MDR/RR-TB cases and 48% for XDR-TB cases, with previous regimens being long and often toxic.
    • Recent Progress: The WHO's Global TB Report 2023 highlighted India’s progress in improving TB case detection and treatment coverage, which has increased to 80%. The number of drug-resistant TB cases has decreased from 140,000 in 2015 to 110,000 in 2022.
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