The Union health ministry has approved the shorter, less toxic, and more effective treatment regimen — BPaLM— against the multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) under its National TB Elimination Program (NTEP).

The BPaLM regimen, a novel treatment for MDR-TB, has a treatment duration of six months as opposed to the earlier regimen of 20 months. This regimen includes a new anti-TB drug, called Pretomanid, in combination with Bedaquiline and Linezolid (with/without Moxifloxacin). Pretomanid was earlier approved and licensed for use in India by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).

The four-drug combination BPaLM regimen 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 high treatment success rate,” the health ministry said in a statement.

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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 and family welfare, in consultation with the department of health research, ensured validation of this new TB treatment regimen that witnessed a thorough review of evidence by in-country subject experts. The health department has also got an assessment done to ensure that this MDR-TB treatment option is safe and cost-effective,” the government statement read.

According to health ministry officials, this move is expected to significantly boost the country’s aim to achieve a national goal of ending TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global target for eliminating the disease under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A country-wide time-bound roll out plan of the BPaLM regimen is being prepared by the central TB division under the health ministry in consultation with states and Union Territories, which includes rigorous capacity building of health professionals for safe administration of the new regimen.

“It is going to boost the TB control programme in a big way and is going to be a real shot in the arm in our mission to end TB in India,” said a senior official from the central TB division, requesting anonymity.